Abstract A series of nine, new benzo-13-crown-4 compounds which bear one or two substituents on the three-carbon bridge has been prepared in good yields by cesium fluoride-assisted cyclization reactions of catechol with ditosylates of the appropriate glycols. The solid state structure of 9, 9-dibenzyl-2, 3-benzo-13-crown-4 is determined and compared with the reported structure for the unsubstituted crown ether.
