Treatment of 1,6-dialkylhexa-1,5-diene-3,4-diones with bis(iodozincio)methane gave zinc alkoxides of cis-5,6-dialkylcyclohepta-3,7-diene-1,3-diol in good yields at room temperature. The reaction proceeded with high stereospecificity. Bis(iodozincio)methane converted the diketone into the cis-divinylcyclopropane-1,2-diol stereoselectively; this diol transformed into the corresponding cycloheptane derivative
The nucleophilic cyclopropanation of hexa-1,5-diene-3,4-diones with bis(iodozincio)methane afforded the Zn alkoxides of cis-dialkenylcyclopropane-1,2-diols stereoselectively. The subsequent oxy-Cope rearrangement afforded the corresponding Zn alkoxides of 5,6-dialkylcyclohepta-3,7-diene-1,3-diols.