Here, we have demonstrated that the presence of a carbonyl group at C7 position is preventing the olefin metathesis of endo-norbornene derivatives due to the complexation of the metal alkylidene. Time-dependent NMR studies showed the presence of new proton signals in the metal alkylidene region, which indicate the formation of metal complex with the carbonyl group of the substrate. These observations were further proved by ESI-MS analysis. Whereas, computational studies provided that the catalyst was interacting with the C7 carbonyl group and aligned perpendicular to that of norbornene olefin. Later, these endo-keto norbornene derivatives were reduced to hydroxyl derivatives diastereoselectively. Ring-rearrangement metathesis (RRM) of these hydroxyl derivatives, produced the [6/5/6], and [5/6/5] carbo-tricyclic cores of the natural products in one step. Whereas the RRM of O-allyl derivatives, delivered the oxa-tricyclic compounds in a single step with excellent yields.
Bridgehead vicinal diallylation of norbornene derivatives and extension to propellane derivatives via ring-closing metathesis