Diels–Alder adducts of maleic ­anhydride and dienes: new compounds by crystallization

We have determined the crystal structures of bi­cyclo­2.2.1]­hept‐2‐ene‐endo‐cis‐5,6‐di­carboxyl­ic anhydride, C₉H₈O₃, (I), 1,2,3,4,7,7‐hexa­chloro­bi­cyclo­2.2.1]­hept‐2‐ene‐endo‐cis‐5,6‐di­carboxyl­ic anhydride diethyl ether solvate, C₉H₂Cl₆O₃·0.16­C₄H₁₀O, (II), bi­cyclo­2.2.1]­hept‐2‐ene‐endo‐cis‐5,6‐di­carboxyl­ic acid, C₉H₁₀O₄, (III), 1,2,3,4,7,7‐hexa­chloro­bi­cyclo­2.2.1]­hept‐2‐ene‐endo‐cis‐5,6‐di­carboxyl­ic acid, C₉H₄Cl₆O₄, (IVa) and (IVb), and ethyl 1,2,3,4,7,7‐hexa­chloro‐6‐carboxybi­cyclo­2.2.1]­hept‐2‐ene‐endo‐cis‐5‐carboxyl­ate monohydrate, C₁₁H₈Cl₆O₄·H₂O, (V). Compounds (I) and (II) were prepared by a standard Diels–Alder reaction from maleic anhydride and cyclo­penta­diene or hexa­chloro­cyclo­penta­diene, respectively. The crystal‐growing processes of these compounds led to surprising results: rapid recrystallization of (I) from diethyl ether and (II) from petroleum ether gave crystals of these compounds, however, crystallization by slow evaporation techniques using common solvents yielded new compounds in which the five‐membered heterocycle has been cleaved.