Resorcinarenes can be functionalized at their upper and lower rims. In this work, the upper rim of a resorcinarene was functionalized with glutamic acids and the lower rim was functionalized with either methyl or undecyl alkyl groups. The cavitands were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), mass spectrometry (MS), UV-vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and electron microscopy. The binding of resorcinarene with amine guests was studied in DMSO by UV-vis titration. The obtained binding constants (K values) were in the range of 12,000-136000 M-1. The resorcinarenes were shown to form aggregates in a variety of solvents. The aggregates were spherical as confirmed by DLS, SEM and TEM experiments. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) experiments revealed the size of the aggregates could be controlled by cavitand concentration, pH, and temperature. The resorcinarene with undecyl alkyl group were adsorbed onto 55% cross-linked styrene-divinylbenzene resin to prepare a new stationary phases for ion chromatography (IC) columns. The new column packing material was applied in determination of uremic toxins and water contaminants. The new IC column afforded separation of the five uremic toxins : guanidinoacetic acid, guanidine, methylguanidine, creatinine, and guanidinobenzoic acid in 30 minutes. Detection and quantification of uremic toxins helps diagnose kidney problems and start patient care. Gradient elutions at ambient temperature with methanesulfonic acid (MSA) as eluent resulted in detection levels in water from 10 to 47 ppb and in synthetic urine from 28 to 180 ppb. Trace levels of creatinine (1 ppt) were detected in the urine of a healthy individual using the columns. The new IC stationary phase separated cationic pharmaceuticals including a group of guanidine compounds in surface water. Detection limits in the range of 5 - 32 µg L-1 were achieved using integrated pulsed amperometric detection (IPAD) for guanidine (G), methylguanidine (MG), 1,1-dimethylbiguanidine (DMG), agmatine (AGM), guanidinobenzoic acid (GBA) and cimetidine (CIM). Suppressed conductivity (CD) and UV-vis detection resulted in limits of detection similar to IPAD, in the range of 1.7 - 66 µg L-1, but were not able to detect all of the analytes. Three water sources, river, lake, and marsh, were analyzed and despite matrix effects, sensitivity for guanidine compounds was in the 100 µg L-1 range and apparent recoveries were 80-96 %. The peak area precision was 0.01 - 2.89% for IPAD, CD and UV-vis detection.

Resorcinarenes are cyclic tetramers that are synthesized by the condensation of resorcinol and various aldehydes. The upper and lower rims can be modified with substituents that provide specific selectivity and other chemical features. In this work, resorcinarene-based macrocyclic ligands with specific selectivities have been designed, synthesized and applied to chiral amine discrimination and transition metal ion separations.These resorcinarenes fall into two categories. In the first type, the upper rims of resorcinarenes were modified with amino acid groups, including chiral alanine groups. The lower rims were modified with --CH3, or --C11H23 groups. The structures were studied by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), mass spectrometry (MS), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and sustained off-resonance irradiation collision induced dissociation (SORI-CID) techniques in Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS). The binding strength between the resorcinarenes with amines was studied by 1H NMR titration. Among these new resorcinarenes, the chiral alanine undecyl resorcinarenes acid (AUA) showed chiral discrimination among chiral secondary amines. The AUA ligands were adsorbed onto 55% cross-linked styrene-divinylbenzene resin and used as cation-exchangers in ion chromatography (IC) for transition metal ion separations. The AUA IC column showed selectivity for Cu2+ when no chelating eluent was used in the eluent, a selectivity which was not observed with a commercial column containing standard cation-exchangers. Six metal ions (Cu2+, Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cd2+, and Zn2+) were separated on the AUA column within a reasonable time with a simple oxalic acid gradient eluent. The second type of resorcinarene-based ligand, cyclenbowl, contains four cyclen units on the upper rim and four --C11H23 chains on the lower rim. The column packed with cyclenbowl adsorbed onto polystyrene showed selectivity for Cu2+ over five other transition metal ions including Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cd2+, and Zn2+ ions. The preconcentration of Cu2+ at the parts per billion level from a high concentration matrix of Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cd2+, and Zn2+ ions was achieved using HNO3 eluent. Recovery of Cu2+ was greater than 98%. Furthermore, the other five transition metal ions were well separated on the cyclenbowl column with an oxalic acid eluent gradient.

Ion exchange chromatography (IC) is an analytical technique used to separate charged molecules including ions, proteins, small nucleotides, and amino acids. It can function in anion or cation mode. In this dissertation, anion exchange chromatography was used, and column materials were made in our lab with resorcinarene-based compounds called cavitands. Cavitands create cavities to bind to molecules because of their three-dimensional structure. Two new gradient IC methods were established to identify and quantify perrhenate and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by customized resorcinarene-based column, zinc cyclen resoecinarene (ZCR) and arginine methyl ester (RUE) columns. The ZCR column accomplished outstanding separation of perrhenate from other anions such as chloride and sulfate by using a gradient elution of 2-60 mM NaOH. There was a logarithmic relationship between the perrhenate concentration and its retention time. In addition to separating anions, the ZCR column was able to preconcentrate perrhenate with over 90% recovery in different conditions. RUE was successfully synthesized and attached to polystyrene resin and used in IC to separate the PFAS, perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA), perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), perfluorohexanesulphonic acid (PFHxS), and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). The sample preparation for the PFAS was simple and only needed filtration. A gradient method starting with 70 mM NaOH and going to pure water was necessary to separate the PFAS. There was no detectable PFAS in Provo tap water and Utah Lake water by our method. Although the LOD and LOQ of PFAS were not as low as the existing methods, the IC method does not require complicated sample preparation steps to separate and quantify PFAS. Binding studies of RUE and RUA were done with organic acids, including citric, malic, and succinic acid, and PFAS including PFBA, and PFHxA. The strongest binding was for L-malic acid followed by succinic acid, D-malic acid, pentanoic acid, citric acid, and dimethyl L-malate. RUE displayed some chiral recognition between L-malic acid and D-malic acid. Unfortunately, it did not show significant differences in binding between the different PFAS even though RUE had been able to separate them by IC.

Le ligand Rim3, constitué d’une cavité resorcinarène fonctionnalisée par 3 groupements méthylimidazole a été synthétisé et étudié. Ce ligand est capable de coordiner différents métaux de transitions comme le zinc et le cuivre. Ces complexes possèdent des propriétés hôte-invité intéressantes et une sélectivité avec la taille de la cavité. La complexation d’invités acides nécessite l’addition d’une base exogène. De plus, la présence de base peut être nécessaire pour réaliser des réactions d’hydratation ou d’hydrolyse. Dans ce manuscrit sont présentés différents ligands cavitaires resorcinarène avec 4 imidazoles greffés. Chaque ligand et complexe associé présente des solubilités différentes. Nous étudierons d’abord la synthèse et la caractérisation des systèmes en milieu organique ou aqueux. Les études de complexation montreront la forte affinité associée à ces complexes en milieu organique. L’étude des propriétés hôte-invité montre que le complexe est capable de coordiner un invité acide de manière quantitative dans les conditions RMN. Cette coordination ne nécessite pas l’addition de base. Le 4e imidazole joue le rôle de base intramoléculaire et n’est pas nécessaire à la coordination. Deux positions labiles en cis sont également disponibles, attesté par la coordination de ligands bidentes. Le complexe zincique [Rim4ZnII(EtOH)](ClO4)2 montre des propriétés d’hydratation des nitriles. Dans l’acétonitrile avec 35% d’eau à 70°C, le complexe forme de l’acétamide de manière catalytique. L’addition de base n’est pas nécessaire et le pH n’évolue pas avec la réaction. Dans l’eau avec 10% d’acétonitrile, [WRim(OH)44 Zn(H2O)](NO3)2 catalyse l’hydratation en acétamide mais est inhibé par l’hydrolyse successive en acétate. / In this manuscript, we present the synthesis and caracterisation of three tetradentate bowlshaped ligand. These ligands are resorcin[4]arene functionnalized by four methylimidazole. Each ligand is soluble in a different medium, such as organic solvent, water and mixed solvent. The four methylimidazoles are able to coordinate several metal ions, such as zinc, copper and iron. We then present the host-guest properties of the complexes. The complexes are able to coordinate acidic guests without addition of an exogenous base, thanks to the fourth imidazole. Two labiles positions are avalaible in cis, and bidentate ligands are able to coordinate the metal ions. Finally, we present the reactivity of the complexes. The zinc complex, [Rim4Zn]2+ catalyses the acetonitrile hydration with 35% water at 70°C. In an aqueous media with 10% water,[WRim(OH)44 Zn(H2O)](NO3)2 catalyses not only the acetonitrile hydration but also it’s subsequent hydrolysis into acetate.

Metallic nanoparticles are unique materials for optical, electronic, catalytic, and sensing applications. Due to the vast flexibility in controlling the surface chemistry of these particles through functionalization there is a great deal of interest in using metallic nanoparticles as building blocks in the development of more complex nanostructures through the use of a 'bottom-up' approach. Using self assembly techniques, one can exploit spontaneous chemical interactions to build complex constructs on the nanometer scale. Towards this end, gold nanorods have been synthesized and modified with various polymers, inorganic oxides and organic ligands to establish principles for self-assembly of these unique nanomaterials. Gold nanorods are of great interest due to their strong optical absorption in the visible and near infrared regions, which can be tuned through material preparation and modification of the surrounding environment. This thesis focuses on investigating approaches for both irreversible and reversible self-assembly of gold nanorods. Techniques such as dynamic light scattering (DLS), ultraviolet-visible (UV) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and polarization modulation infrared reflection absorbance spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) were used to characterize the colloidal particles and gold surfaces. A novel contribution of this work is the successful demonstration of end-to-end linking of gold nanorods in a rapid and reversible manner using a pH responsive polypeptide.

In the frame of this thesis different calix[4]resorcin- and calix[4]pyrogallolarene derivatives were used as platform for the synthesis of novel star polymers and dendritic structures. The objectives of this work can be portrayed under the following points: First: Synthesis and modification of calix[4]resorcin- and calix[4]pyrogallolarenes with a varying number and varying type of functional sites and their precise characterization by modern NMR techniques and single crystal X-ray diffraction. Second: Synthesis of well-defined star polymers and dendrimers with different number of arms and accordingly dendrons, based on calix[4]resorcin- and calix[4]pyrogallolarenes, via convenient polymerization and generation growth reactions and analysis of the obtained products by different methods (MALDI-TOF-MS, SEC-RI and SEC-MALLS, NMR).

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Chemistry / Stefan Bossmann / A series of methylene-bridged resorcin[4]arenes featuring electrochemically active and hydrophilic viologene-units chemically attached to their "rim"-regions have been synthesized. Depending on the choices of pendent groups (feet) and the numbers of positive charges on the "rim" (four or eight), moderate to very good solubilities in water were obtained. A fluorescent coumarin tag designed for the purpose of photophysical studies was chemically linked to the feet of some of the synthesized resorcin[4]arenes. These compounds were designed to act as guests in mycobacterial channel proteins (channel blockers). The proven host-guest interaction between resorcin[4]arenes and the mycobacterial porin MspA suggests potential application of my research in TB treatment. Both, hydrophilic nutrients and metabolites have to diffuse through the porin channels of mycobacteria because of the lack of an active transport mechanism. If these channels are successfully blocked, the mycobacteria have either to synthesize new channels, which make their outer membrane more susceptible to conventional antibiotics, or they become dormant. (3,3'-dimethyl)-4,4'-bipyridinium units are very suitable electron relays. They can be reduced stepwise to viologen monoradical cations and then to uncharged viologen diradicals which possess highly negative redox potentials, allowing them to reduce C-Cl bonds. Therefore, the deep cavitand viologen resorcin[4]arenas, are expected to bind and detoxify chlorinated hydrocarbons by reductive dechlorination. In this work, the step wise reduction process of viologen- resorcin[4]arenes and the formation of negative redox potentials of double-reduced viologen resorcin[4]arenes are demonstrated by electrochemistry studies. These results encourage future studies toward an efficient electrocatalytic system for the reductive dehalogenation of organic compounds. Besides highly charged resorcin[4]arene cavitands, the synthesis of a thiol-footed resorcin[4]arene was also attempted. The product was used for gold nanoparticle binding studies. The results of the photochemistry measurements provided a proof-of-concept for using the emission of gold nanoparticles in chemical sensors after covering their surfaces with thiol-footed resorcin[4]arenes. Two heterocylic resorcin[4]arene cavitands were synthesized for DNA-intercalation studies. The results of the photochemical measurements suggested binding between DNA and the heterocyclic resorcin[4]arenes and provided proof-of-principle for potential drug applications of this type of macrocycle.

In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird die Darstellung und Charakterisierung von aromatisch substituierten Calix(4)resorcinarenen behandelt. Im zweiten Kapitel werden die Grundlagen und Besonderheiten bei Calix(4)resorcinarenen angesprochen. Ein Überblick über die wichtigsten Verbindungen dieser Gruppe von Makrocyclen wird gegeben. Im Kapitel 3 werden wesentliche Methoden zur vollständigen O-Alkylierung bei Calix(4)resorcinaren genannt. Außerdem werden Methoden zur partiellen O-Alkylierung von C-Arylcalix(4)resorcinarenen vorgestellt. Das Kapitel 4 stellt die Methoden zur Strukturaufklärung mittels 2D-NMR-Spektroskopie bei diesen Verbindungen vor. Möglichkeiten zur Unterscheidung des rccc-Isomer vom rctt-Isomer werden beschrieben. Das Kapitel 5 zeigt wesentliche Ergebnisse der semiempirischen Rechnungen zu C-Arylcalix(4)resorcinarenen und ihrer Acetate. Am Beispiel einer Verbindung werden Energiewerte aller Isomere und Konformere verglichen. Eine Deutung der ROESY-Spektren von Standpunkt der Quantenchemie aus wird gegeben. Im Ergebnis aller gewonnener Daten werden Aussagen zum wahrscheinlich ablaufenden Mechanismus gemacht. Der Vorgeschlagene Mechanismus geht von dimeren Verbindungen aus und berücksichtigt die Stereochemie der erhaltenen Produkte. / In this work the preparation and characterisation of aromatic substituted Calix(4)resorcinarens are shown. In the second chapter the basis's and the peculiarity's of the Calix(4)resorcinarens are given. A summary of the most important compounds of this class is shown. In chapter 3 preparation methods for the complete O-alcylation of Calix(4)resorcinarens are given. Methods for the particular O-alcylation of C-Arylcalix(4)resorcinarens are introduced. Chapter 4 presents the methods for the characterisation of this class of compounds with 2D-NMR-spectroscopy. Methods for the distinction of the rccc-isomer from the rctt-isomer are described. The chapter 5 shows important results of the semiempirical calculations with C-Arylcalix(4)resorcinarens and their acetates. The energy values of all isomers and conformers of one compound are compared. A interpretation of the ROESY-spectras with quantum chemical methods is given. As a result of this work a new mechanism is proposed.

In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird die Darstellung und Charakterisierung von aromatisch substituierten Calix(4)resorcinarenen behandelt. Im zweiten Kapitel werden die Grundlagen und Besonderheiten bei Calix(4)resorcinarenen angesprochen. Ein Überblick über die wichtigsten Verbindungen dieser Gruppe von Makrocyclen wird gegeben. Im Kapitel 3 werden wesentliche Methoden zur vollständigen O-Alkylierung bei Calix(4)resorcinaren genannt. Außerdem werden Methoden zur partiellen O-Alkylierung von C-Arylcalix(4)resorcinarenen vorgestellt. Das Kapitel 4 stellt die Methoden zur Strukturaufklärung mittels 2D-NMR-Spektroskopie bei diesen Verbindungen vor. Möglichkeiten zur Unterscheidung des rccc-Isomer vom rctt-Isomer werden beschrieben. Das Kapitel 5 zeigt wesentliche Ergebnisse der semiempirischen Rechnungen zu C-Arylcalix(4)resorcinarenen und ihrer Acetate. Am Beispiel einer Verbindung werden Energiewerte aller Isomere und Konformere verglichen. Eine Deutung der ROESY-Spektren von Standpunkt der Quantenchemie aus wird gegeben. Im Ergebnis aller gewonnener Daten werden Aussagen zum wahrscheinlich ablaufenden Mechanismus gemacht. Der Vorgeschlagene Mechanismus geht von dimeren Verbindungen aus und berücksichtigt die Stereochemie der erhaltenen Produkte. / In this work the preparation and characterisation of aromatic substituted Calix(4)resorcinarens are shown. In the second chapter the basis's and the peculiarity's of the Calix(4)resorcinarens are given. A summary of the most important compounds of this class is shown. In chapter 3 preparation methods for the complete O-alcylation of Calix(4)resorcinarens are given. Methods for the particular O-alcylation of C-Arylcalix(4)resorcinarens are introduced. Chapter 4 presents the methods for the characterisation of this class of compounds with 2D-NMR-spectroscopy. Methods for the distinction of the rccc-isomer from the rctt-isomer are described. The chapter 5 shows important results of the semiempirical calculations with C-Arylcalix(4)resorcinarens and their acetates. The energy values of all isomers and conformers of one compound are compared. A interpretation of the ROESY-spectras with quantum chemical methods is given. As a result of this work a new mechanism is proposed.

In the frame of this thesis different calix[4]resorcin- and calix[4]pyrogallolarene derivatives were used as platform for the synthesis of novel star polymers and dendritic structures. The objectives of this work can be portrayed under the following points: First: Synthesis and modification of calix[4]resorcin- and calix[4]pyrogallolarenes with a varying number and varying type of functional sites and their precise characterization by modern NMR techniques and single crystal X-ray diffraction. Second: Synthesis of well-defined star polymers and dendrimers with different number of arms and accordingly dendrons, based on calix[4]resorcin- and calix[4]pyrogallolarenes, via convenient polymerization and generation growth reactions and analysis of the obtained products by different methods (MALDI-TOF-MS, SEC-RI and SEC-MALLS, NMR).