bibenzyls and related ethane derivatives in high yields. Other diselenides were easily caused to cleave to give various aromatic and aliphatic olefins in good yields together with elemental selenium. Lepidopterene, [2.2]paracyclophane, and benzocyclobutene were prepared by thermal cleavage of their corresponding phenylselenomethyl-substituted compounds as an application of the pyrolysis concerned.
The flash vacuum pyrolysis of benzyl phenyl selenides gave bibenzyls and diphenyl diselenide in excellent yields. This type of reaction was successfully applied to the synthesis of the title compounds.