Abstract: Pentalenene, the neutral precursor to pentalenic acid and a variety of pentalenolactones, has been synthesized from 4, 4-dimethyl-2-cyclopentenone. Following hydrosilation, dichloroketene addition, and hydrolysis, ring expansion to the highly functionalized bicyclo [3.3. 0] octanone 22 was achieved with diazomethane. Reduction with zinc and acetic acid led to regiospecific a-chloro enone formation. In six additional steps, ...