Ruthenium complexes of 4-ethenyl-and 4,12-diethenyl[2 2 ]paracyclophane have been synthesized and investigated by NMR spectroscopy as well as electroanalytical techniques. The structure of [(C 20 H 20 )Ru(II)(C 16 H 16 )](BF 4 ) 2 ‚(acetone) was determined by X-ray crystallography. Consistently, the results show that electron density is decreased in those ("disturbed") vinyl groups bound directly to ruthenium-complexed cyclophane decks. Electrochemical oxidation of the complexes depends on the presence or absence of undisturbed vinyl groups and results in the formation of redox-active films on the electrode. in the literature. 39 Both were used in 0.1 M concentration throughout. The working electrodes were Pt [3 mm diameter, Metrohm or Bioanalytical Systems (BAS)] and glassy carbon disks (3 mm diameter, BAS), polished with 0.05 µm alumina (BAS) prior to all experiments (electroactive area A ≈ 0.07 cm 2 ). The reference electrode was a Ag/Ag + dual-reference electrode system with a Haber-Luggin capillary as described. 40 All potentials are recalibrated to the ferrocene/ ferrocenium ion standard 25 in the respective solvent determined in separate experiments. A Pt wire served as auxiliary electrode. Data were collected on a BAS 100B/W electrochemical workstation.