The purpose of this investigation is to study the Birch reduction products of [2.2lparacyclophane and of [2.2]paracyclophane- 2-carboxylic acid. The tetrahydro Birch reduction product of [2.2]paracyclophane is shown to be dl stereoisomer, with the olefins of the upper deck only partially overlapping with the olefins of the lower deck. This stereochemical elucidation is accomplished by means of a complete proton nmr analysis of the tetraepoxide derivative. A proposed mechanism supported by VB (valence bond) and MO (molecular orbital) theories for this Birch reduction process is presented.

The synthesis and characterization of two new Schiff base copper(II) complexes are reported. These are Cu(acac: 2-amino-l-phenylethanol) and Cu(acac:2-amino-l-butanol). The ligands, derived from acetylacetone and the appropriate aminoalcohol, are dibasic tridentates with 0,N,O donor atoms. The magnetic properties of the complexes were studied at several temperatures between 78 OK and 296 OK. The magnetic moment of Cu(acac:2-amino-l-phenylethanol) varied little with temperature, and that of Cu(acac:2-amino-lbutanol) increased as the temperature was lowered. This is in contrast to the magnetic moment of Cu(acac:ethanolamine), which decreases as the temperature decreases. Molecular weight data, infrared spectra, magnetic data, electronic spectra, and electron spin resonance spectra of both complexes are reported and discussed.