This Review surveys the experimental and synthetic history of three classic antiaromatic cores: cyclobutadiene, borole, and pentalene. The coverage extends from the bare molecular cores to fused or substituted variants that impart thermodynamic or kinetic stability to the antiaromatic systems. Recent studies to utilize the unusual properties of these antiaromatic cores in the context of advanced electronic materials are discussed.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.