Organopalladium approaches to prostaglandins. VIII: Ethyl (acetoxymercurio)acetate approach to prostaglandin endoperoxide analogues

Norbornene (I) is coupled with the octenone (II) and the acetoxymercurioacetate (III) in the presence of a Pd(II) catalyst to yield the oxoalkenylnorbornylacetate (IV) as the main product, together with the bis(norbornanyl) derivative (V).