cyclobutadienide

Cyclobutadienide is the dianion of cyclobutadiene, a cyclic hydrocarbon with the chemical formula C4H4. It is a planar, square-shaped molecule with four carbon atoms and four hydrogen atoms. Cyclobutadienide is a highly reactive species, known for its unusual electronic structure. Unlike other hydrocarbons, cyclobutadiene and its dianion do not follow the Hückel rule, which states that aromatic compounds must have (4n + 2) π-electrons to be stable. Instead, cyclobutadiene has only 4 π-electrons, making it antiaromatic. This antiaromaticity leads to a high degree of reactivity, as the molecule seeks to rearrange into a more stable form. Cyclobutadienide, with its two additional electrons, is even more reactive and can undergo various chemical reactions, including dimerization and addition reactions. It is often used as a ligand in organometallic chemistry. The synthesis of cyclobutadienide typically involves the reduction of cyclobutadiene with strong reducing agents. Despite its reactivity, cyclobutadienide has been the subject of extensive research due to its unique properties and potential applications in materials science and catalysis.