New Phthalimide-based Sensors for Chiral and Achiral Anions and Peroxides Inaugural-Dissertation Zur Erlangung des Doktorgrades der Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Universität zu Köln vorgelegt von Yrene Hortencia Díaz Pérez aus Caracas (Venezuela) Köln 2009 Berichterstatter: Prof. Dr. A. G. Griesbeck Prof. Dr. B. Goldfuß Tag der mündlichen Prüfung: 3.02.2010 Gedruckt mit Unterstützung des Deutschen Akademischen Austauschdienstes For my Parents and Claus Miara Acknowledgements First of all, I would like to thank the Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst (DAAD) for giving me the possibility to conduct my Ph.D in Germany in the research group of Prof. Dr. Axel Griesbeck and especially my referee Veronica Metje. Next, I would like to express my gratitude to Prof. Dr. Axel Griesbeck for giving me the opportunity to perform this work in his group and for his qualified and valuable help and the excellent working conditions in his group. I owe special thanks to Prof. Dr. Bernd Goldfuß for the fruitful cooperation and for accepting to act as referee of my thesis as well as Prof. Dr. Klaus Meerholz and Dr. Dirk Blunk for being part of the evaluation committee of my thesis. Another important person that I would like to thank is Dr.