The synthesis of new linear and angular systems useful as rigid rods and spacers in the design of molecules

Abstract

Various substituted norbornenes are subjected to metal-catalysed [2 + 2] cycloadditions to yield activated cyclobutenes which react further with quadricyclane to yield linear binadienes, or with cyclopentadiene to form angular binadienes; these binadienes are rigid alicyclic frameworks available to synthetic chemists for molecular design.