Dibenzo [b, f][1, 5] diazocines, a class of potential building blocks for novel electrochemical actuators, were synthesized via a novel, efficient acid-catalyzed reaction of 2- acylbenzoisocyanate at room temperature. Real-time NMR analysis and the captured intermediate showed the mechanism was an unprecedented cyclization of the isocyanate with the neighboring acyl group, followed by the dimerization.
