General Solid-Phase Synthesis of Crown Ethers

A method for preparing a crown ether, the method comprising:

• loading a resin having a resin functional group with a linking compound having a functional group selected for coupling to the resin functional group and at least two carbon atoms each substituted with a first substituent;
• coupling the linking compound to a reactant compound of the formula X—CH2—CH2 (O—CH2—CH2)n—X, wherein n is an integer between 1 and 17, and X is a second substituent, one of the first and second substituents being a leaving group and a remaining one of the first and second substituents being a nucleophilic substituent, whereby the linking compound and the reactant compound undergo a substitution reaction with the nucleophilic substituent replacing the leaving group to thereby obtain a cyclized intermediate;
• and
• removing the cyclized intermediate from the resin to obtain the crown ether.