Polycyclic compounds, termed calixurenes, and their preparation and uses.

The invention relates to a process for the prepn. of polycyclic compds. of formula I, termed calixurenes, comprising linear and cyclic oligomers composed of alternating moieties of an arom. unit and a ureatic unit, linked to one another via a bridging moiety. Compds. of formula I wherein each A is independently arom. moiety and absent, provided that at least one A is arom. unit; each U is independently ureatic moiety and absent, provided that at least one U is ureatic moiety; each B and B' are independently bridging moiety and absent; Z and Q are independently H and functional group; ZQ taken together to form bridging moiety; m is 1 to 19; are claimed. The process for prepg. calixurenes by condensation of arom. and ureatic units in the presence of a bridge-forming agent is claimed. Compd. II was prepd. by condensation of 2-imidazolidinethione with p-tert-butylphenol in the presence of paraformaldehyde; the resulting linear S,S-tertbutylphenolcalix[3,2]urene underwent cyclocondensation with 2-imidazolidinethione and paraformaldehyde to give II. [on SciFinder(R)]