1-Benzoylcyclopentene was used as starting material in an alicyclic approach towards the synthesis of 5:6-benzazulene. Bromination-dehydrobromination of the intermediate trans-1:2:3:4:9:10 hexahydrobenzazulene afforded a dibromo- and tetrabromo-derivative of 5:6-benzazulene. The bromination-dehydrobromination method is not feasible for the dehydrogenation of hydrobenz-heptalenes to the as yet unknown