Reaction products of methyl tricyclo[4.1.0.02,7]heptane-1-carboxylate and tricyclo[4.1.0.02,7]hept-1-yl phenyl sulfone with dinitrogen tetraoxide

The reaction of methyl tricyclo4.1.0.0^2,7]hepatne-1-carboxylate with dinitrogen tetraoxide in diethyl ether at ?10 to 0°C, followed by treatment of the reaction mixture with methanol, gave approximately equal amounts of methyl exo,syn-6,7-dinitro-and exo-6-hydroxy-syn-7-nitrobicyclo3.1.1]heptane-endo-6-carboxylates. Tricyclo4.1.0.0^2,7]hept-1-yl phenyl sulfone reacted with dinitrogen tetraoxide under analogous conditions to produce a mixture of diastereoisomeric exo,syn-and endo,syn-6,7-dinitro-6-phenylsulfonylbicyclo-3.1.1]heptanes and 6,6-dimethoxy-endo-7-nitrobicyclo3.1.1]heptane at a ratio of 4.5:2:1. Probable factors responsible for the different stereoselectivities in the addition of N₂O₄ at the central C¹-C⁷ bond of the initial tricycloheptane compounds were discussed. The structural parameters of the dinitro ester and related dinitro sulfone were compared on the basis of the X-ray diffraction data.