Addition of cyclopentadiene to 2-carbomethoxy-1, 4-benzoquinone 9 afforded Diels-Alder adduct 10 using the Lewis acids ZnCl2 and ZnBr2 whereas the fragmenatation product 11 was the major product when using SnCl4 and TiCl4. Addition of cyclopentadiene to 1, 4- benzoquinone 8 bearing a menthyl ester at C-2 afforded Diels-alder adduct 12 in moderate diastereomeric excess using ZnCl2 and ZnBr2 as Lewis acids. Use of TiCl4 and SnCl4 ...