The  re Á se Averbuch, and Jacques Einhorn* Polymorphism is a fascinating phenomenon accompanied by a lot of strange manifestations. [1] It is generally defined as the existence of a given compound in more than one crystalline form. In conformational polymorphs, [2] a given molecular compound adopts different conformations in different polymorphs. But, at a molecular level, conformational changes may involve quite high energy barriers, allowing in some cases the isolation of separate stereoisomers (atropisomers) which do not interconvert rapidly in solution at room temperature, but do so if enough energy is supplied. Herein we report solid-state thermal isomerizations of compounds 1, which present such a type of atropisomerism. These isomerizations have features reminiscent of polymorphic transformations, although not involving polymorphs in the usual sense of the word. [3] As depicted in Scheme 1, the synthesis of 1 has been achieved by Diels ± Alder reactions between isobenzofuran 2 and maleimide or N-benzylmaleimide, giving adducts 3 a or 3 b in good yields. Their aromatization under strongly acidic conditions furnished 1 a and 1 b quantitatively. Demethylation of 1 a and 1 b gave diphenols 1 c and 1 d in high yields. Scheme 1. Reagents, conditions, and yields: a) for 3 a: 1 equiv maleimide, toluene, RT, 6 h, 96 %; for 3 b: 1 equiv N-benzylmaleimide, toluene, RT, 6 h, 81 %; b) 6 equiv MeSO 3 H, CH 2 Cl 2 , RT, 12 h, b 99 % for 1 a, b 99 % for 1 b; c) 3 equiv BBr 3 , CH 2 Cl 2 , À 78 8C to RT, 15 h, 98 % for 1 c, 99 % for 1 d. Full details can be found in the Supporting Information. RT room temperature.16: m.p. 81 ± 83 8C (hexane). A referee proposed that we examine the reaction of S 8 O with trapping reagents, with regard to the mechanism of the reactions reported here. The reaction of S 8 O, prepared by a reported method, [4b] with 2,3dimethyl-1,3-butadiene in dichloromethane at room temperature for 1 h gave 2 in only 1.4 % yield, while that carried out under reflux gave 2 in 25 % yield. At present we do not have direct evidence for the existence of free S 2 O in solution, so that ªS 2 Oº should be read as ªS 2 O equivalentº throughout this paper.