The head-to-head photodimer of indenoindene

Abstract

Irradiation of 1-(1-benzocyclobutenylidene)benzocyclobutene gives indenoindene and its head-to-head photodimer nonacyclo[9.7.7.72,10.01,11.02,10.03,8.012,17.019,24.026,31]dotriaconta-3,5,7,12,14,16,19,21,23,26,28,30-dodecaene, C32H24. The molecule is built from four essentially planar indane units attached to an elongated cyclobutane ring. In the crystal, C—H...π interactions connect molecules into layers parallel to the bc plane.