Four new azocalix[4]arenes {5,11,17,23-tetrakis[(2-hydroxy-5-tert-butylphenylazo)]-25,26,27,28-tetrahydroxycalix[4]arene (1), 5,11,17,23-tetrakis[(2-hydroxy-5-nitro phenylazo)]-25,26,27,28-tetrahydroxycalix[4]arene (2), 5,11,17,23-tetrakis[(2-amino-5-carboxylphenylazo)]-25,26,27,28-tetrahydroxycalix[4]arene (3) and 5,11,17,23-tetrakis[(1-amino-2-hydroxy-4-sulfonicacidnapthylazo)]-25,26,27,28-tetrahydroxycalix[4]arene (4)} have been synthesized from p-tert-butylphenol, p-nitrophenol, p-aminobenzoic acid and 1-amino-2-hydroxy-4-sulphonic acid by diazo coupling reaction with p-aminocalix[4]arene. The resulting ligands (1–4) were treated with three transition metal salts (e.g., CuCl2·2H2O, NiCl2·6H2O or CoCl2·6H2O). Cu(II), Ni(II) and Co(II) complexes of the azocalix[4]arene derivatives were obtained and characterized by UV-vis, IR,
1H-NMR spectroscopic techniques and elemental analysis. All the complexes have a metal:ligand ratio of 2:1. The Cu(II) and
Ni(II) complexes of azocalix[4]arenes are square-planar, while the Co(II) complexes of azocalix[4]arenes are octahedral with
water molecules as axial ligands. The solvent extraction of various transition metal cations from the aqueous phase to the
organic phase was carried out by using azocalix[4]arenes (1–4). It was found that, azocalix[4]arenes 1, 2 and 3 examined selectivity for transition metal cations such as Ag+, Hg+ and Hg2+. In addition, the thermal stability of metal:azocalix[4]arene complexes were also reported.