The cycloaddition of two moles of benzyne with any two non diametrical
ly opposite furan units of 1 in an anti geometry yields a chiral macro
cycle. The chiral anti-1,3-bis-adduct 2 has been isolated, characteris
ed bg X-ray crystallography, and converted into the corresponding dina
phthafuropnane 4. The X-ray analysis of 4 shows the crystals to contai
n only a single enantiomer i.e. I undergoes spontaneous resolution on
crystallisation. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd