1, 3-Diphl? nylisobenzofuran was reduced in tetrahydrofuran by alkali metals to a dianion. This dianion on protonation, methylation, or carboxylation gave products which were predominantly cis. It is suggested that the dianion or the intermediate monoreacted monoanion adopts a preferred conformation in which steric interaction between the phenyl substituents is minimized and orbital overlap between the carbanion and the benzene ring ...
