Abstract
One of the most challenging aspects of the synthesis of gibberellic acid2 and structurally related compounds such as steviol3 is the construction of the bicyclo[3.2.1]octane system with the unusual features of an exocyclic methylene group adjacent to a bridgehead tertiary hydroxyl group. In gibberellic acid this structural feature comprises the C, D ring system, which is fused to the five-membered B ring.