A Molecular 'Hamburger': Bonded Benzene in a Bun.

The scaffold bis-succinimide 4 is shown to react twice with 1,2,4,5-tetrakis(bromomethyl)benzene 5 specifically at the para-related bromomethyl groups to form a multi-ring alicyclophane system 3 in which the benzene ring is sandwiched between the alicyclic frames to form a molecular ‘hamburger’.