Electrochemistry of Calixarenes

In the present thesis, both the published and the "ready-to-be-submitted" results concerning electrochemistry of calixarenes are summarized. The main focus is given to the detailed interpretation of experimental data, acquired during a systematic study of electroactive calixarene derivatives. The experiments were conducted under aprotic conditions (DMF) on mercury electrodes (mainly cyclic voltammetry and DC-polarography). It is demonstrated that electrochemistry should not serve only for redox characterization of studied compounds, but it offers a great number of other valuable information. The subject matter of the study are the calix[4]arenes (prevalently in the cone-conformation) which bear one to four reducible or oxidizable substituents ("redox probes") at various positions in order to be electrochemically investigable. Nitro- and nitroso compounds together with aldehydes, ketones, nitriles, aldoximes, carboxylic acids and corresponding esters, sulphones and esters of sulphonic acids are the most discussed compound series. Their relationship between structure and electrochemical response is presented in new connections ("stereoelectrochemistry"), in other words, how the redox probe position on the benzene ring (para-/meta-), bridging groups, or adjacent vs. opposite aromatic units..