Acid-Promoted Fries Rearrangements of Benzannulated Lactones

Abstract

The scope of acid-promoted Fries rearrangements of benzannulated lactones has been examined. The reaction is applicable to seven-membered lactones possessing a sufficiently activated aromatic ring but not to six-membered lactones, and it proceeds in higher yield for diterpenoid lactones than for lower molecular weight lactones. The structures of the 2,6-methano-bridged benzoxocin side products (23), (24), and (25) from rearrangement of the diterpenoid lactone (11) have been assigned.