5,12-dihydro-6,11-didehydronaphthacene,A derivative of 1,4-didehydronaphthalene

Treatment of the di-lithium derivative of 1,2-diethynyl-benzene ($\text{1}$) with $\text{o}$-xylene-α,α′-diol di-$\text{p}$-toluenesulphonate ($\text{2}$) in tetrahydrofuran led to 5,12-dihydronapthacene ($\text{5}$) as the only identifiable product. This reaction presumably involves 5,12-dihydro-6,11-didehydronaphthacene ($\text{4}$) as an intermediate, and this was confirmed by the formation of 5,12-dihydro-6,11-dideuterio-naphthacene when the reaction was carried out in tetrahydrofuran-$\text{d}$₈.