Near Cancellation of Through Space and Through Bond Interaction in bicyclo[3.2.2]nona-6,8-diene

The photoelectron spectra of bicyclo3.2.2]nonane and its five dehydrogenated analogues are reported. Analysis of the π-bands reveals that the unsymmetrical diene 5 retains the ‘natural order’ of the π-orbitals present in the lower homologues, i. e. the in-phase below the out-of-phase combination of the basis π-orbitals π_a and π_c. The isomeric diene 4 is the first member of the symmetrical homologous series (I), which inverts this order, so that a ₁(π) (in phase!) lies above b ₂(π) (out-of-phase!).