Synthesis of <i>gem</i>-Difluoromethylenated Polycyclic Cage Compounds

The synthesis of gem-difluoromethylenated polycyclic cage compounds, utilizing PhSCF2SiMe3 as a gem-difluoromethylene building block, is described. The fluoride-catalyzed nucleophilic addition of PhSCF2SiMe3 to both maleic anhydride–cyclopentadiene and maleic anhydride–cyclohexadiene adducts was accomplished with high stereoselectivity to provide the corresponding adducts that were treated with Grignard reagents, followed by acid-catalyzed lactonization to afford the corresponding γ-butyrolactones, each as a single isomer. These γ-butyrolactones underwent intramolecular radical cyclization to give the corresponding tetracyclic cage γ-butyrolactones, which were employed as precursors for the synthesis of gem-difluoromethylenated tetracyclic cage lactols or tetracyclic cage furans, upon treatment with Grignard reagents.