Synthesis of substituted bicyclo[2.2.2]octatrienes

An efficient route to bicyclo[2.2.2]octatriene, barrelene, and substituted versions of this molecule has been developed starting from the benzene equivalent cis-3,5-cyclohexadiene-1,2-diol. Following the Diels-Alder reaction of this molecule with an activated acetylene, conversion of the diol to the final olefin was accomplished through formation of a thiocarbonate intermediate and subsequent reaction with 1,3-dimethyl-2-phenyl-1,3,2-diazaphospholidine (DPD). The synthesis developed allows a variety of barrelenes to be prepared in as few as three steps from commercially available starting materials.