Racemic 6,6′-dimethylbiphenyl-2,2′-dicarboxylic acid (1) could be conveniently synthesized and efficiently resolved by the recrystallization of the brucine salts in satisfactory yields. Each enantiomer, thus obtained, was confirmed to be optically pure from a high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) analysis on an optically active column.

Organolithium reagents complexed with axially chiral biphenyl-substituted N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamines (1 and 2) add to aldehydes in good enantioface selectivity. The pattern of the stereoselection, however, disagrees with that of the helical choice observed for the asymmetric polymerization of triphenylmethyl methacrylate with the same complexes.

p‐Benzochinon wird in wäßrigem Dimethylsulfoxid, N,N‐Dimethylacetamid oder Dimethylformamid mit EDTA (Ethylendiamintetraessigsäure) als Elektronendonor und mit Chlorphyll a oder Phäophytin a als Sensibilisator photochemisch quantitativ zu Hydrochinon reduziert.