Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
Macrocyclic bis-dienes and a diendienophile were prepared in Diels-Alder reactions starting from the bis-dienophilic (hemiporphyrazinato)nickel complex 1. 1 was reacted either with the tetraene 2 or with tetraphenylcyclopentadienone (4). By combination of macrocyclic bisdienes and bis-dienophiles, ladder-type oligomers were synthesized. They are precursors to the corresponding conjugated molecules, which are of interest as potential organic conductors. Monofunctional and bifunctional dienophilic macrocycles were also allowed to react with [60]fullerene to give the corresponding mono- and bis-fullerene adducts.