Reactions of the 1-halo-7-(2-hydroxyethoxy)cycloheptenes and the 3-halo-4-(2-hydroxyethoxy)bicyclo[3.2.1]oct-2-enes with potassium t-butoxide

Reactions of 1 - bromo - 7 - (2 - hydroxyethoxy)cycloheptene 2 and its chloro analogue 3 with potassium t-butoxide in dimethyl sulphoxide or tetrahydrofuran gave cycloheptatriene and cis - 8,11 - dioxabicyclo[5.4.0]undec - 2 - ene 18 as the major products together with small amounts of the trans-isomer 17,8,11-dioxabicyclo[5.4.0]undec - 1(7) - ene 14, 8,11 - dioxabicyclo[5.4.0] - undec - 1 - ene 19, cyclohept - 2 - enone ethylene ketal 15, cyclohept - 3 - enone ethylene ketal 16, and 1- and 2 - t - butoxycyclohepta - 1,3 - diene 20. Similar reactions of 3 - bromo - and 3 - chloro - 4 - (2 - hydroxyethoxy)bicyclo[3.2.1]oct - 2 - ene 4 and 5 gave 4,7 - dioxatricyclo[7.2.1.0^3,8]dodeca - 2 - ene 26 as the major product together with small amounts of 3,6 - dioxatricyclo[7.2.1.0^2,7]dodeca - 2(7) - ene 27 and bicyclo[3.2.1]oct - 3 - ene - 2 - one ethylene ketal 28. Mechanisms for these transformations are discussed.