Stable 1, 2-diazocines, 3, 8-diaryl-4, 6-dichloro-1, 2-diazacycloocta-2, 4, 6, 8-tetraenes, were prepared via a chlorination–dehydrochlorination sequence starting from readily-available 3, 8-diaryl-1, 2-diazacycloocta-2, 8-dienes. When reacted with metal carboxylates in benzene under reflux, the dichloro-1, 2-diazocines were converted into stable 4-acyloxy-and/or 4, 7- bis (acyloxy)-1, 2-diazocines. On the thermolysis in toluene under reflux, all the diazocines ...