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Related Concept Videos

Thermal and Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Overview01:26

Thermal and Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Overview

Electrocyclic reactions are reversible reactions. They involve an intramolecular cyclization or ring-opening of a conjugated polyene. Shown below are two examples of electrocyclic reactions. In the first reaction, the formation of the cyclic product is favored. In contrast, in the second reaction, ring-opening is favored due to the high ring strain associated with cyclobutene formation.
Preparation of Epoxides03:00

Preparation of Epoxides

Overview
Epoxides result from alkene oxidation, which can be achieved by a) air, b) peroxy acids, c) hypochlorous acids, and d) halohydrin cyclization.
Epoxidation with Peroxy Acids
Epoxidation of alkenes via oxidation with peroxy acids involves the conversion of a carbon–carbon double bond to an epoxide using the oxidizing agent meta-chloroperoxybenzoic acid, commonly known as MCPBA. Since the O–O bond of peroxy acids is very weak, the addition of electrophilic oxygen of peroxy acids to...
Cycloaddition Reactions: Overview01:16

Cycloaddition Reactions: Overview

Cycloadditions are one of the most valuable and effective synthesis routes to form cyclic compounds. These are concerted pericyclic reactions between two unsaturated compounds resulting in a cyclic product with two new σ bonds formed at the expense of π bonds. The [4 + 2] cycloaddition, known as the Diels–Alder reaction, is the most common. The other example is a [2 + 2] cycloaddition.
Aromatic Hydrocarbon Cations: Structural Overview01:18

Aromatic Hydrocarbon Cations: Structural Overview

Cycloheptatriene is a neutral monocyclic unsaturated hydrocarbon that consists of an odd number of carbon atoms and an intervening sp3 carbon in the ring. The three double bonds in the ring correspond to 6 π electrons, which is a Huckel number, and therefore satisfies the criteria of 4n + 2 π electrons. However, the intervening sp3 carbon disrupts the continuous overlap of p orbitals. As a result, cycloheptatriene is not aromatic.
Removing one hydrogen from the intervening CH2 group with both...
Woodward–Hoffmann Selection Rules and Microscopic Reversibility01:34

Woodward–Hoffmann Selection Rules and Microscopic Reversibility

Electrocyclic reactions, cycloadditions, and sigmatropic rearrangements are concerted pericyclic reactions that proceed via a cyclic transition state. These reactions are stereospecific and regioselective. The stereochemistry of the products depends on the symmetry characteristics of the interacting orbitals and the reaction conditions. Accordingly, pericyclic reactions are classified as either symmetry-allowed or symmetry-forbidden. Woodward and Hoffmann presented the selection criteria for...
Thermal Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry01:17

Thermal Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry

The stereochemistry of electrocyclic reactions is strongly influenced by the orbital symmetry of the polyene HOMO. Under thermal conditions, the reaction proceeds via the ground-state HOMO.
Selection Rules: Thermal Activation
Conjugated systems containing an even number of π-electron pairs undergo a conrotatory ring closure. For example, thermal electrocyclization of (2E,4E)-2,4-hexadiene, a conjugated diene containing two π-electron pairs, gives trans-3,4-dimethylcyclobutene.

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Updated: May 23, 2026

Preparation of 6-aminocyclohepta-2,4-dien-1-one Derivatives via Tricarbonyl(tropone)iron
07:56

Preparation of 6-aminocyclohepta-2,4-dien-1-one Derivatives via Tricarbonyl(tropone)iron

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Polycyclic aromatic triptycenes: oxygen substitution cyclization strategies.

Brett VanVeller1, Derek J Schipper, Timothy M Swager

  • 1Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.

Journal of the American Chemical Society
|April 19, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Researchers achieved cyclization and planarization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons using acid catalysis and radical reactions. The triptycene scaffold enabled new rigid π-systems for advanced materials development.

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Solid-phase Synthesis of [4.4] Spirocyclic Oximes
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Solid-phase Synthesis of [4.4] Spirocyclic Oximes

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Last Updated: May 23, 2026

Preparation of 6-aminocyclohepta-2,4-dien-1-one Derivatives via Tricarbonyl(tropone)iron
07:56

Preparation of 6-aminocyclohepta-2,4-dien-1-one Derivatives via Tricarbonyl(tropone)iron

Published on: August 12, 2019

Cercosporin-Photocatalyzed [4+1]- and [4+2]-Annulations of Azoalkenes Under Mild Conditions
07:12

Cercosporin-Photocatalyzed [4+1]- and [4+2]-Annulations of Azoalkenes Under Mild Conditions

Published on: July 17, 2020

Solid-phase Synthesis of [4.4] Spirocyclic Oximes
05:15

Solid-phase Synthesis of [4.4] Spirocyclic Oximes

Published on: February 6, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Organic Chemistry
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are crucial building blocks for advanced materials.
  • Developing synthetic methods for controlled PAH functionalization remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To synthesize novel, rigid π-systems from PAHs.
  • To expand the utility of triptycene-based molecules for materials science.

Main Methods:

  • Acid-catalyzed transetherification reactions.
  • Oxygen-radical reactions for cyclization and planarization.
  • Utilizing the triptycene scaffold to direct reactivity.

Main Results:

  • Successful cyclization and planarization of PAHs.
  • Incorporation of oxygen substituents into the PAH structure.
  • Formation of rigid π-systems facilitated by the triptycene scaffold.

Conclusions:

  • The developed method provides a new route to functionalized, rigid PAHs.
  • Triptycene-based molecules offer expanded possibilities for materials applications.
  • This work enhances the synthetic toolkit for designing novel π-conjugated systems.