Selective formation of angular tricyclic compounds by ruthenium-mediated ring-rearrangement metathesis

Unsaturated spirocyclic substrates bearing two alkenyl chains under-went ruthenium-mediated ring-rearrangement metathesis through relaying cyclohexene and cycloheptene moieties to give angularly fused tricyclics. In some instances where two products were expected, high degrees of selectivity were observed. In one instance the structural parameter leading to selectivity was very subtle; in others the transformation favoured the formation of products with a cis-fused cyclohexene moiety. An unusual transformation involving ring-opening, double-bond migration, and then ring-closing was observed.