A tetrabromo‐1,4‐ethanonaphthalene and related dibromo‐1,4‐ethenonaphthalene

(1RS,3RS,4RS,10SR)‐2,2,3,10‐Tetrabromo‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydro‐1,4‐ethanonaphthalene, C₁₂H₁₀Br₄, (I), is the first structure to be reported with four Br atoms bound to a 1,4‐ethanonaphthalene framework and also the first which possesses three Br atoms in exo positions. Interactions between the Br atoms three short intramolecular Br...Br distances of 3.1094 (4), 3.2669 (4) and 3.4415 (5) Å] have little effect on the C—C bond lengths but lead to significant twisting of the cage structure compared with the parent hydrocarbon, which is expected to be fully eclipsed at the two saturated C₂H₄ bridge positions. Chemically related (1SR,4RS)‐2,3‐dibromo‐1,4‐ethenonaphthalene, C₁₂H₈Br₂, (II), obtained by double dehydrobromination of (I), represents the first structure of any halogen‐substituted benzobarrelene. This cis‐dibromide shows little evidence of steric congestion at the double bond Br...Br = 3.5276 (8) Å] as a consequence of the large C—C—Br angles average C=C—Br angle = 126.15 (10)°].