Oligoethylene glycol dimethyl ethers

The discovery of the cation-binding properties of crown ethers renewed interest in studying the ion-binding behavior of linear polyethers and their homologs. Linear oligoethylene glycol dimethyl ethers (glymes) bind cations more weakly by two or three orders of... 

Alkylation of calix[4]arenes with ditosylates of oligoethylene glycols leads to 1,3-dihydroxy calix[4]crowns 36a, the first examples being described as early as 1983 °. Alternatively, the 1,3-dimethyl ether of a calix[4]arene can be reacted with the ditosylate. 

The dimethyl ethers of oligoethylene glycols (glymes) have long been known to enhance the reactivities of soluble metal salts. For example, in 1960 Zaugg and coworkers described the rate enhancement of sodiomalonate ester alkylation in benzene solution by glymes and a large number of other aprotic, polar additives. 

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