One-pot synthesis of adamantane derivatives by domino Michael reactions from ethyl 2,4-dioxocyclohexanecarboxylate.

Adamantane derivatives were constructed by the one-pot reaction of ethyl 2,4-dioxocyclohexanecarboxylate with 2-phenylethyl 2-(acetoxymethyl)acrylate or 2-(acetoxymethyl)-1-phenyl-2-propen-1-one via domino Michael reactions and a Dieckmann condensation or an aldol-type reaction (four-bond formation). This is the first one-pot construction of adamantane derivatives from cyclohexanone derivatives not involving enamines.