Design and synthesis of molecular cavities

The work presented in this thesis highlights the design of various symmetrical U -Shaped cavitands, where the cavitand provides an enforced rigid concave surface which has convergent functional groups and binding sites attached. Synthetic methodologies have been developed for constructing these cavitands and they offer a wide diversity in terms of structure, size, electronic characteristics and functionality. Diels-Alder cycloaddition reactions have been chosen as the route to this range of macropolycycles. The challenge in this approach resides in the complementary choice of diene/dienophile reaction partners and an appreciation of the factors which govern stereochemical outcome, and therefore elaborating the precise geometry in the final product.