On the destabilization (strain) energy of biphenylene.
Biphenylene is subject to a variety of destabilizing effects (antiaromaticity, ring strain) and resonance stabilization. Careful construction of a group equivalent reaction that isolates the destabilization energy from other chemical effects, notably resonance energy, leads to a revised estimate of the destabilization energy of biphenylene as 57 kcal mol(-1). Extension of these ideas to higher homologoues of biphenylene, including starphenylene, point out pitfalls of any approach toward uniquely defining reactions that measure chemical effects.
Bachrach
Steven M
SM
Department of Chemistry, Trinity University, One Trinity Place, San Antonio, Texas 78212, USA. sbachrach@trinity.edu