First stable 7,7,8,8-tetraaryl-o-quinodimethane: isolation, X-ray structure, electrochromic response of 9,10-bis(dianisylmethylene)-9,10-dihydrophenanthrene

Oxidative cyclization of 2,2'-bis(dianisylethenyl) biphenyl yielded the dicationic salt of phenanthrene-9,10-diylbis( dianisylmethylium), which in turn afforded the severely congested title molecule as the first stable tetraaryl-o-quinodimethane derivative upon reduction.