RCM for the Construction of Novel Steroid-like Polycyclic Systems. 1. Studies on the Synthesis of a PreD3-D3 Transition State Analogue

Natural and nonnatural polycyclic systems containing eight-membered carbocycles constitute a large class of compounds of importance in organic chemistry, biology, and medicine. Here we describe a new strategy by which complex polycyclic steroid-like systems can be constructed on the steroid CD framework, by a combination of RCM and Heck cyclizations. The method is exemplified by its application to the stereoselective synthesis of 6-8-6 fused carbocyclic systems that mimic the putative transition structure of the isomerization of previtamin D3 to vitamin D3.