Non-covalent expansion of an organic bilayer involving exo-cavity interplay of tetraphenylphosphonium with para-sulfonato-calix[4]arene.

ABSTRACT

Reaction of equimolar amounts of sodium para-sulfonato-calix[4]arene, tetraphenylphosphonium chloride and ytterbium chloride in water results in the formation of a mineral clay-like structure, where the hydrophobic tetraphenylphosphonium cations interpose a bilayer arrangement based on a 2D coordination polymer of (calix[4]arene)5-/Na+/Yb3+.