A highly efficient method has been developed for the construction of a bicy
clo[3.3.1]nonane skeleton, which entails two consecutive tandem conjugate a
ddition-intramolecular aldol reaction of ethyl acetoacetate (2 equiv) with
conjugated enals. After hydrolysis of the double cyclization products, 6- a
nd/or 7-substituted 1-hydroxybicyclo[3.3.1]nonan-3-ones have been obtained.