Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
The title compound 1, which forms green needles and can be stored under N2 at 0°C, is just as easy to oxidize as tetrathiafulvalene. The key step of the synthesis of this first un-substituted Reid-hydrocarbon, starting from readily available 1,8-diiodonaphthalene, is a benzene ring expansion by intramolecular ketocarbene addition. According to the NMR data, compound 1 is best described as a double vinylogous phenylheptafulvalene.
Sugihara et al. (1987) studied this question.