Anions Stabilized by β‐Nitro Groups: The Acidity and ortho‐Metalation of Nitrocubanes—Penta‐ and Hexanitrocubanes

The first direct metalation of a β-CH bond activated by nitro groups is seen in the reaction of 1,3,5,7-tetranitrocubane (1) with base (see below). Such β-nitro carbanions were used to synthesize penta- (2) and hexanitrocubanes, the first cubanes containing vicinal nitro groups.