Synthesis of novel cage oxaheterocycles

m-CPBA-promoted Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of pentacyclo[6.3.0.0(2,6).0(3,10 ).0(5,9)]undecan-4-one (1) afforded the corresponding lactone 2 in 93% yiel d. Lithium aluminum hydride promoted reduction of lactones 2, 6, and 9, per formed in. the presence of BF3. OEt2 reagent, afforded the corresponding ca ge ethers, i.e., 4, 7, and 10, respectively Two methods that can be used to replace a cage C=O group by ether oxygen without concomitant rearrangement are delineated. A key step in the first of these methods employs m-CPBA pr omoted "double Criegee rearrangement", which was used to convert pentacyclo [6.3.0.0(2,6).0(3,10).05 9]undecan-4-one diethyl acetal (11) into 7,9-dioxa pentacyclo[6.3.0.0(2,6).0(3,12).0(5,11)] tridecan-8-one (12). Subsequently, 12 was converted into 4-oxapentacyclo[6.3.0.0(2,6). 0(3,10).0(5,9)] undeca ne (14) via a two-step reduction-dehydration reaction sequence. The second method utilized PhI(OAc)(2)-I-2 reagent to convert cage lactols 15 and 17 i nto the corresponding cage ethers, i.e., 14 and 2-oxaadamantane (18), respe ctively.