Asymmetric and fused heterocycles based on [2.2]paracyclophane

Many heterocyclic systems based on [2.2]paracyclophane have been prepared, mostly by adapting standard heterocyclic syntheses to paracyclophane-based substrates, but some by utilizing the unusual steric hindrance or transannular interactions of the paracyclophane substructure. As stated at the outset, the resulting structures are interesting and useful, particularly for their planar chirality and deck-to-deck electronic communication. The field is far from mature; most of the discussions herein describe just a preparation or two, from which it follows that far more remains to be discovered. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.