One-step conversion of aromatic hydrocarbon bay regions into unsubstituted benzene rings: A reagent for the low-temperature, metal-free growth of single-chirality carbon nanotubes

Abstract

A tube ride: The controlled chemical synthesis of uniform, single-walled carbon nanotubes from short hydrocarbon templates, such as aromatic belts and geodesic nanotube end-caps, by a Diels-Alder cycloaddition/rearomatization strategy requires a potent "masked acetylene" capable of transforming hydrocarbon bay regions into new unsubstituted benzene rings in a single operation. Nitroethylene has been found to effect such benzannulations (see scheme). © 2010 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.