We investigated the Diels-Alder reactions of maleic anhydrides embedded in a dibenzobicyclo [2.2. 2] octatriene motif as a nonsterically biased dienophile. Substituents on a benzene ring in these dienophiles are far from the reaction center, providing a sterically equivalent π-face. Instead substituents can unsymmetrize the dienophilic π face through π*(anhydride)-π*(aromatic) orbital interactions. Electron-withdrawing substituents affect ...
