Abstract
The synthesis of 7,7-di-(1′-propyloxy)-5-norbornene-2-carbonitrile and the corresponding ethyl ester by direct Diels-Alder methods is described. The synthesis of 5,5-di-(1′-propoxy)-1,3-cyclopentadiene affords practical advantages over the diethyl and dimethyl analogs which make it simpler to prepare.