Synthesis of Bicyclo[n. 2. 0]alkanediols

Abstract

Interest in the synthetic potential of rearrangement reactions of fused-ring cyclobutanediols^1,2 has led us to develop a general method for the synthesis of bicyclo[n.2.0] alkanediols in which the hydroxyl group are located on adjacent carbon atoms at the bridgehead and in the cyclobutane ring (e.g. 1). We report here the application of our new synthetic method to the synthesis of bicyclo [4.2.0] octane-1,8-diol (2) and bicyclo[3.2.0]-heptane-1,7-diol (3).