Abstract 3, 4-Diazidocyclobutenes 16 were prepared from the corresponding dihalides. Some of these diazides, such as parent compound 16 d and phenyl-substituted derivatives 16 c, f, underwent spontaneous stereoselective electrocyclic ring opening below room temperature, whereas the tetraalkyl derivatives of 16 had to be heated to force the same reaction. In most cases, the resulting 1, 4-diazidobuta-1, 3-dienes 8 were isolated to study ...
