Hybrid multicyclophanes based on thiacalix[4]arene and pillar[5]arene: synthesis and influence on the formation of polyaniline

For the first time, fragments of a pillar[5]arene were spatially preorganized with a thiacalix[4]arene core in a single multimacrocyclic structure. It was shown that the synthesized hybrid multicyclophanes bind aniline and do not interact with p-toluenesulfonic acid. Supramolecular assistance of the synthesized multicyclophanes in oxidative polymerization of aniline in aqueous p-toluenesulfonic acid solutions was studied. It was found that the use of the multicyclophane template in the reaction of the oxidative polymerization of aniline led to the formation of emeraldine with a higher molecular weight and a similar conductivity (1–2 mSm cm−1), which formed more stable emeraldine dispersions in acetone in comparison with traditionally obtained polyaniline.