A Novel Intramolecular Heck Reaction: Synthesis of a Cholesterol ‐ Baccatin III Hybrid

Abstract

Despite strong repulsion between the methyl groups, the intramolecular Heck reaction of cyclohexenyl trifluoromethanesulfonate 1, available from 5-α-cholestan-3-one, proceeds in 50% yield. The product of the Heck reaction can be converted in a few subsequent steps into the cholesterol-baccatin III hybrid 2.