Cover Feature: Clicking together Alkynes and Tetracyanoethylene (ChemPhysChem 15/2023)

The Cover Feature shows the “click-like” [2+2] cycloaddition – retro-electrocyclization (CA-RE) reaction between tetracyanoethylene and an aryl-substituted alkyne, first forming a cyclobutene and then a tetracyanobutadiene derivative. The reaction is autocatalytic as the final tetracyanobutadiene product (represented by the blue brick) promotes the CA between the two reactants (represented by yellow and green bricks). More information can be found in the Concept by Mogens Brøndsted Nielsen.