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The lead(IV) oxide oxidation of various azulen-2-ol derivatives in acetic acid generates azulenoxy radicals via one-electron oxidation. The intermediates end up yielding recombined dimers, [1,1′-biazulene]-2,2′(1H,1′H)-dimers, as common type of products. In addition to these, hexacyclic cage dimers were obtained from 5-substituted azulen-2-ol derivatives. From dimethyl 2-hydroxyazulene-1,3-dicarboxylate, a hydroxyazulene having no substituent on the seven-membered ring was isolated a pair of dimethyl 2-hydroxy-4-[1,3-di(methoxycarbonyl)-2-oxo-1,2-dihydroazulenyl]azulene-1,3-dicarboxylate, but neither a cage dimer nor a 1,6-coupled dimer. The full structures of the dimers have been firmly established by an extensive X-ray crystallographic analysis and 13C NMR spectral comparisons of the key derivatives. Concerning the mechanism of the formation of the cage dimers, a [5+5] π cycloaddition followed by recombination of the resultant biallyl system is suggested.

The lead(IV) oxide oxidation of various azulen-2-ol derivatives in acetic acid generates azulenoxy radicals via one-electron oxidation. The intermediates end up yielding recombined dimers, [1,1′-biazulene]-2,2′(1H,1′H)-dimers, as common type of products. In addition to these, hexacyclic cage dimers were obtained from 5-substituted azulen-2-ol derivatives. From dimethyl 2-hydroxyazulene-1,3-dicarboxylate, a hydroxyazulene having no substituent on the seven-membered ring was isolated a pair of dimethyl 2-hydroxy-4-[1,3-di(methoxycarbonyl)-2-oxo-1,2-dihydroazulenyl]azulene-1,3-dicarboxylate, but neither a cage dimer nor a 1,6-coupled dimer. The full structures of the dimers have been firmly established by an extensive X-ray crystallographic analysis and 13C NMR spectral comparisons of the key derivatives. Concerning the mechanism of the formation of the cage dimers, a [5+5] π cycloaddition followed by recombination of the resultant biallyl system is suggested.