Rapid Access to Chiral and Tripodal Cavitands from β-Pinene

We report Pd-catalyzed cyclotrimerization of (+)-α-bromoenone, obtained from monoterpene β-pinene, into an enantiopure cyclotrimer. This C₃ symmetric compound has three bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane rings fused to its central benzene with each ring carrying a carbonyl group. The cyclotrimer undergoes diastereoselective threefold alkynylation with the lithium salts of five terminal alkynes (41-63 %, de=4-83 %). The addition enabled a rapid synthesis of a small library of novel chiral cavitands that, in shape, resemble a tripod stand. These molecular tripods include a tris-bicycloannelated benzene head attached to three alkyne legs twisted in one direction to form a nonpolar cavity with polar groups as feet. Tripods with methylpyridinium and methylisoquinolinium legs, respectively, form inclusion complexes with anti-inflammatory and chiral drugs (R)/(S)-ibuprofen and (R)/(S)-naproxen. The mode of binding shows drug molecules docked in the cavity of the host through ion-ion, cation-π, and C-H-π contacts that, in addition of desolvation, give rise to complexes having millimolar to micromolar stability in water. Our findings open the door to creating a myriad of enantiopure tripods with tunable functions that, in the future, might give novel chemosensors, catalysts or sequestering agents.