Abstract: The kinetics of the t-BuOK-t-BuOH-induced 1, 3-dehydrohaIogenation of the geometrical isomers of cyclobutanes 2-5 to give the corresponding bicyclobutanes was investigated. Substitution of H by C1 or Me on the carbon bearing the leaving group (substrates 1-3) caused rate reduction by a factor of 2 only. The cyano-activated substrates with C1 as a leaving group (substrates 1 and 3) underwent syn-anti isomerization under ...