A series of polydentate p-tert-butylcalix[n]arene core salicylideneimine groups 5a～5f were easily synthesized in good yields in three steps from the corresponding p-tert-butylcalixa[n]arenes 1a～1b (n＝6, 8). They were firstly alkylated with ethyl bromoacetate to give the activated ethoxycarbonylmethoxy substituted derivatives 2a～2b, which were treated with excess diamines NH₂(CH₂)_mNH₂ (m＝2, 4, 6) to yield the corresponding amide derivatives with free terminal amine groups 4a～4f, which in turn reacted with salicylaldehyde in alcohol to afford the Schiff base products.

Key words: calixarene, amide, polydentate ligand, Schiff base