Pagodanes, formation

The standard enthalpy of formation of dodecahedrane remains unmeasured. However, standard enthalpies of formation of a bis-carbomethoxy derivative of the isomeric pagodane, and pagodane are available in the literature H.-D. Beckhaus, C. Riichardt, D. R. Lagerwall, L. A. Paquette,... 

For pagodane-related carbon skeletons 4C/3e radical cations with tight and extended geometries could be established by spectroscopy (predominately EPR) and quantum chemical calculations at the DFT level of theory. Such structures resemble frozen stages of cycloadditions/cycloreversions on the hyper energy surface of the hole-catalyzed cyclobutane formation. 

Scheme 4.17 presents a couple of other strange-looking cationic species which were discovered in studies in a related field. In connection with the problem of dodecahedrane synthesis via the isomerization of pagodane 34 (cf. data in Schemes 4.10 and 4.11), Olah s and Prinzbach s groups engaged in studies of the behavior of pagodane derivatives under superacid conditions. Their hope was to force the cationic isomerization of 34 to 3. Despite all attempts, this route was unworkable. As a reward for these apparently futile efforts they were able to observe the unexpected formation of a very stable cationic species, the pagodane dication 55 (Scheme 4.17). The pattern of its NMR spectra combined with the nature of its quenching adduct 56, and the theoretical analysis of possible alternatives, enabled the authors to ascribe to this dication the unprecedented four-center/two-electron delocalized bis-homoaromatic structure.

SO2CIF (eq 28). In these systems, separation of the two cation centers by at least two methylene groups is necessary for the ions to be observable. Aromatic dications are usually prepared by oxidizing the corresponding aromatic compounds with SbFs (eq 29). In the case of pagodane containing a planar cyclobutane ring, oxidation leads to the formation of cyclobutane dication which was characterized as a frozen two-electron Woodward-Hoffmann transition state model (eq 30). ... 

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