The extremely hindered selenadiazoline 1,1'',5,5''-tetramethyldispiro[3,7-dithiabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane-9,2'-DELTA3-1',3',4'-selenadiazoline-5',9''-3'',7''-dithiabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane] (6) has been prepared as a precursor to bis(1,5-dimethyl-3,7-dithiabicyclo[3.3.1]non-9-ylidene) (8), a 'tied-back'' analogue of tetra-tert-butylethylene (1). The pyrolysis of 6 yields retrocyclization and decomposition products and no 8, presumably due to strain limitations. The ketone 1,5-dimethyl-3,7-dithiabicyclo[3.3.1]nonan-9-one (4) is unreactive toward McMurry coupling to 8.