Reactive cross-talk between adjacent tension-trapped transition states.

Tension along a polymer chain traps neighboring s-trans/s-trans-1,3-diradicals from the mechanically induced ring opening of gem-difluorocyclopropanes (gDFCs). The diradicals correspond to the transition states of the force-free thermal isomerization reactions of gDFCs, and the tension trapping allows a new disproportionation reaction between two simultaneously trapped diradicals to take place.