Chiral and meso‐bis([2.2]­para­cyclo­phan‐4‐yl)­methane and meso‐bis­([2.2]­para­cyclo­phan‐4‐yl) sulfide

The [2.2]­para­cyclo­phane groups of the title compounds, chiral and meso‐bis­(tri­cyclo­[8.2.2.2^4,7]­hexa­deca‐4,6,10,12,13,15‐hexa­en‐5‐yl)­methane (the former as a racemate), C₃₃H₃₂, and meso‐bis­(tri­cyclo­[8.2.2.2^4,7]­hexa­deca‐4,6,10,12,13,15‐hexa­en‐5‐yl) sulfide, C₃₂H₃₀S, show the characteristic structural features of the parent compound [2.2]­para­cyclo­phane and the related compound di­methylbis([2.2]­para­cyclo­phan‐4‐yl)­silane, C₃₄­H₃₆­Si: the aromatic rings are puckered, resulting in a boat conformation. The planes of the four coplanar C atoms are slightly twisted with respect to each other. The Csp³—Csp³ bond lengths of the ethyl­ene bridges are elongated by the electronic and steric effects of the skeleton.