cis,cis,cis-Tetramethyl 1,2,4,5-cyclohexanetetracarboxylate

The title compound, C14H20O8, was synthesized from the hydrogenation of tet ramethyl 1,4-cyclohexadiene-1,2,4,5-tetracarboxylate with a catalytic amoun t of palladium/carbon. All four carbonyl moieties of the methyl ester group s are on the same face of the chair-conformed ring. The substantial ring di stortion associated with the 1,3-diaxial methoxycarbonyl substituents is re flected in the large difference between bond angles as well as torsion angl es, respectively, that in undistorted cyclohexanes would be approximately t he same.