Five cyclopentanones were prepared for the purpose of examining the effects of stereogenic centers on the course of the intramolecular [4+ 3] cycloaddition reactions of cyclopentenyl cations. One substrate reacted with very high levels of diastereoselectivity and was converted to (+)-dactylol. The cyclopentenone without stereogenic centers on the tether or the five-membered ring gave two cycloadducts, the endo isomer being only slightly ...