gem-Dihalogenocyclopropanes as building blocks for the chemical synthesis of biologically active natural products and their analogues

gem-Dihalogenocyclopropanes, which are readily accessible by the addition of dibromo- or dichloro-carbene to the corresponding alkene, undergo a diverse array of fascinating ring-cleavage reactions to afford products that embody unique combinations of functionality. Remarkably, such reactions and products remain under-utilised in chemical synthesis. This application seeks to redress the situation by demonstrating the utility of the title compounds as building blocks for the efficient syntheses of a range of biologically active species, including ones that have potential for the treatment of Alzheimer s disease and other neurological disorders as well as certain types of refractory lung cancers.