An Improved Method for theendo-Fusion of Five-Membered Ring Lactones to the Bornane Ring System

endo-Fused lactone 3 was obtained in high yield from the camphoracetic acid 2 with thionyl chloride and a subsequent reduction of intermediate 5 with tributyltin hydride. The structure of 5 was elaborated and some aspects of the mechanism of its formation and reactivity were investigated. Lactone 3 serves as key intermediate for lactol 1 which is a useful reagent in racemate resolution and asymmetric synthesis.