Abstract
Since well defined, molecularily uniform oligonuclear phenolic compounds can be synthesized in a large variety of structures, they may undergo a large variety of chemical reactions. Thus they are suitable subjects to study different chemical reactions which may be influenced by neighboring functional groups or by far reaching cooperative effects. This general idea is demonstrated by four different examples :
a) The dissociation of the phenolic hydroxyl group.
b) The bromination as an example of an electrophilic substitution.
c) The methanolysis and aminolysis of chloromethyl groups.
d) The aminolysis of phenylester groups.
In all cases an influence of the neighboring phenolic hydroxyl group is observed which may exceed a factor of 103. In many cases also an influence of more distant phenolic units is found which most probably is operative via a chain of intramolecular hydrogen bonds.
a) Partly based on a lecture, given at the “Seminar and Debate for the Thermosetting Plastics” on 26th oct. 1982 in Osaka.
