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).