Synthesis of all-cis-1,4,7,10-Cyclododecatetraene

The title compound 2 is a simple, previously unknown hydrocarbon. It was synthesized in a multistep reaction sequence, the last step of which is the McMurry reaction of the dialdehyde 1. The all‐cis isomer 2 and the trans‐cis isomer 3 are thereby formed and could be separated by preparative gas chromatography. The cyclooctatetraene homologue is of interest in terms of its cycloaddition and complexation behavior.