title: C6H4 valence bond isomers: a reactive bicyclopropenylidene.
abstract: [reaction: see text] The simple bicyclopropenylidene derivative 21b, stabilized by fusion into naphthalene, results from reaction of dimesitylcyclopropenone 20b with the 1-trimethylsilyl-1H-cyclopropa[b]naphthalenyl anion. Although unstable in air, the molecule survives ambient conditions long enough for separation and mass spectral characterization. Aerial oxidation of 21b leads to 2,3-dimesitylanthracene-1,4-dione 22b whose X-ray crystal structure has been determined. While diphenylcyclopropenone 20a does not give identifiable products, the di-tert-butyl analogue 20c gives quinone 22c but in lower yield.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical & Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand. brian.halton@vuw.ac.nz
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Halton
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Cooney
authors.forename: Carissa S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Boese
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bläser