Bis(carboalkoxy-substituted m-phenylene)-32-crown-10 compounds, useful as polymerizable monomers, can be formed in one step by reacting a functionalized dihydroxy aromatic compound with a dihalopolyether. In the same reaction, carboalkoxy-substituted m-phenylene-16-crown-5 is formed. Other mono- and di-functionalized bis(phenylene) crown ethers can be made by one step as well as multistep synthesis from similar starting materials.