Synthesis of 4a-, 4e-phenyladamantanones and 2,4-o-benzenoadamantane by π-route

The acid catalysed reaction of 4-oxa-homoadamantan-5-one ($\text{1}$) with benzene yielded a mixture of 4^a-phenyladamantan-2-one ($\text{7}$), the equatorial isomer' ($\text{8}$) and 2-phenyl-2,4-o- benzenoadamantane ($\text{9}$) A plausible reaction pathway for the occurrence of $\text{9}$. is put forward. The structure of $\text{9}$, was deduced from spectroscopic data and reaction of the proposed intermediate 2,4^a-diphenyladamantan-2-ol ($\text{11}$) with acid. 2,4-o-Ben-zenoadamantane ($\text{16}$) is prepared likewise.