The self-assembling process of unsubstituted resorcinarenes (1, 2 and 3) to dimeric capsules encapsulating small tetra-alkyl ammonium cations 4–7 has been studied in solid and gaseous states by X-ray crystallographic and mass spectrometric methods. Hydrogen bonding and cation-π interaction as well as the proper encapsulation in the empty cavity of the capsule appear to be the most important interactions in the capsule formation process. Competitive mass spectrometric studies clearly indicated preference of the tetramethyl ammonium cation (4) over tetraethyl ammonium cation (6) and especially tetrabutyl ammonium cation (7). The crystal structures of altogether eight dimeric capsules of resorcinarenes 1–3 with cations 4 and 5 were determined. In the solid state, the alkyl chain length of the host affects the crystal packing significantly. However, ethyl resorcinarene (2) is the only host, which binds the spherical halide anion (Cl⁻ or Br⁻) in between the lower rim alkyl chains.

Crystallisation studies of ethyl resorcinarene with diquats 2b and 3a (1,4-dimethyl-1,4-diazoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane dibromide and 1,4-diazoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane dichloride, respectively) resulted in hydrogen bonded molecular capsules in which the cations are encapsulated in between the cavities of two resorcinarene molecules and anions are located in the middle of the lower rim ethyl chains.

Proton-transfer equilibria in chloroform solution of twelve 2-phenacylquinolines were studied by ¹H, ¹³C and ¹⁵N NMR spectroscopies. The (Z)-enaminone form stabilized by an intramolecular hydrogen bond was found to prevail in all cases. Electron-donating substituents in the phenacyl part of the molecule lead to an increase of the ketimine form (to 33% for p-NMe₂). Variable temperature ¹H NMR measurements show that higher temperatures have the same effect. The negative logarithm values of the equilibrium constant, pK_T, were found to be linearly dependent on Hammett σ substituent constants. The pK_Tvs. temperature correlation also has a linear character. In general, strong electron-withdrawing substituents cause transformation of the ketimine to the enaminone form to become more exothermic but values of the heat of reaction for 2-phenacylquinolines studied are not linearly dependent on σ. X-Ray data show that the strength of the internal hydrogen bond in the enaminone form increases for strong electron-withdrawing substituents. Rough estimation shows this bond to be stronger in chloroform solution than in the crystalline state. π-Electron delocalization in the six-membered quasi-ring involving the H⋯O bond is very strong. This effect is responsible for the predominance of the tautomeric enaminone form in 2-phenacylquinolines. On the other hand, semiempirical AM1 and PM3 calculations show that in the gas phase the ketimine tautomer is energetically favored in most cases.