Transmembrane fluoride anion transport by -3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl picket calix[4]pyrrole

Meso -3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl picket calix[4]pyrrole 1 displays excellent fluoride anion transport activity across artificial lipid bilayers showing EC 50 = 2.15 μM (at 450 s in EYPC vesicle) with high fluoride over chloride ion selectivity. The high fluoride selectivity of 1 was ascribed to the formation of a sandwich type π-anion-π interaction complex. Meso -3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl picket calix[4]pyrrole 1 transports fluoride anions efficiently across an artificial lipid bilayer membrane, displaying high fluoride over chloride ion selectivity.