Photoaddition reactions of acetylene and butadiyne derivatives to benzodithiophene.

The photochemical [2pi +2pi] cycloaddition of dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate to benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophene has been used to synthesize substituted cyclobuta[b]thieno[2,3-f][1]benzothiophene. The first [2pi + 2pi] photocycloaddition reaction of a series of butadiynes to benzodithiophene is reported to yield regioselective and acetylene-substituted cyclobutene derivatives containing an aromatic thiophene moiety.