UNEXPECTED ELECTROCHEMICAL-BEHAVIOR OF HIGHLY BULKY AROMATIC HEXASULFONES - CONFORMATIONAL CHANGE UNDER ELECTRON-TRANSFER

A series of hexa(alkylsulfonyl)benzenes were studied electrochemically in aprotic media at a platinum electrode. It was found that the volta mmetric behaviour strongly depends on the bulkiness of the alkyl group s as well as on parameters like temperature and/or sweep rate. It is p ointed out that the title compounds can exist in two forms possessing quite different standard potentials. The ratio between these two struc tures is strongly influenced by an inner structure reorganization foll owing electron transfer.