Selective Synthesis of Cyclooctanoids by Radical Cyclization of Seven‐Membered Lactones: Neutron Diffraction Study of the Stereoselective Deuteration of a Chiral Organosamarium Intermediate

Seven‐membered lactones undergo selective SmI₂–H₂O‐promoted radical cyclization to form substituted cyclooctanols. The products arise from an exo‐mode of cyclization rather than the usual endo‐attack employed in the few radical syntheses of cyclooctanes. The process is terminated by the quenching of a chiral benzylic samarium. A labeling experiment and neutron diffraction study have been used for the first time to probe the configuration and highly diastereoselective deuteration of a chiral organosamarium intermediate.