The dimethyl ketals of norbornanone and of eight methyl-substituted norbornanones were prepared, and the enthalpies of hydrolysis were determined. The compounds were chosen to provide a variety of steric interactions between the methyl substituents and the ketal group, much of which would be relieved on going to the ketone. The enthalpies of reaction varied by over 4 kcal/mol. The experimental data were modeled by molecular mechanics ( ...