The Diels-Alderreaction of spirobicyclic cyclopentadiene derivatives, prepared by reaction of cyclopentadienyllithium and epichlorohydrin, with maleic anhydride gave a simple access to spiro tricyclic polyoxygenated compounds of synthetic interest. The solvolytic behavior of 1-(tosyloxymethyl)spiro[2.4]hepta-4,6-diene, a 5-spirocyclopentadiene, shows that the ionization of the tosylate was unlikely