Calixarenes as hosts in aqueous media: inclusion complexation of ferrocene derivatives by a water-soluble calix[6]arene

The complexation of trimethyl(ferrocenylmethyl)ammonium hexafluorophosphate 1·(BF6), heptyldimethyl(ferrocenylmethyl)ammonium bromide 2·(Br) and ferrocenylmethanol 3 by a sulfonated calix[6]arene host was investigated in aqueous media using electrochemical and 1H NMR spectroscopic techniques; the binding interactions between the calixarene host and the surveyed guests are similar to those operating in the complexation of organic compounds by cyclodextrin or cyclophane hosts in aqueous media.