The Elusive β-Unsubstituted Calix[5]pyrrole Finally Captured

The meso-decamethyl-calix[5]pyrrole 2b was synthesized from the furan-based analogue 1b via the homologation of the furan rings to pyrrole, and its solid-state structure was determined by X-ray crystallography:  surprisingly, the binding constant of 2b toward chloride is found to be lower than that of the tetrameric analogue 2a.