Bergman Reaction

R. R. Jones, R. G. Bergman, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 94, 660 (1972); R. G. Bergman, Accts. Chem. Res. 6, 25 (1973).

The cyclization of enediynes to generate 1,4-benzenoid diradicals:

Application to ring annulation: J. W. Grissom et al., Tetrahedron 50, 4635 (1994). Kinetic study: idem et al., J. Org. Chem. 59, 5833 (1994). Reaction energetics: E. Kraka, D. Cremer, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 116, 4929 (1994). Reviews of enediyne chemistry and its application to the development of antitumor agents: K. C. Nicolaou et al., Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 90, 5881-5888 (1993); K. Nicolaou, Chem. Brit. 41, 33-36, (1994).