J. Org. Chem.

2016, 81,

Different from so far reported oxacalix[4]-crown-based host-guest motifs in which oxacalix[4]crowns act only as hydrogen bond acceptors, a [2]pseudorotaxane-type tetranitro-oxacalix[4]crown/urea host-guest recognition motif was developed in which tetranitro-oxacalix[4]crown played a role as both a hydrogen bond donor and an acceptor to stabilize the resulting supramolecular complex. Furthermore, on the basis of a [2]pseudorotaxane complex formed from a tetranitro-oxacalix[4]crown and an axle containing a secondary ammonium ion and a urea group, a [2]rotaxane-based molecular switch was created, in which the oxacalix[4]crown wheel was able to reversibly translocate between the secondary ammonium binding site and the urea binding site of the axle under acid-base stimulation.