A photodynamic library of tetrasulfinylcalix[4]arenes: the sulfinyl dance

The photoinversion of sulfoxides has been exploited to generate a photodynamic combinatorial library (PDCL) of tetrasulfinylcalix[4]arenes. Irrespective of the starting isomer, the same product distribution is obtained at the photostationary state upon irradiation at a given wavelength. The order of appearance of the different isomers in the reaction mixture plays a key role in the disclosure of the identity of all the isomers of the PDCL.