Heck reactions of steroidal alkenyl iodides

Heck reactions of some steroid derivatives possessing iodo-alkenyl moiety (17-iodo-androst-16-ene, 1, 17-iodo-4-aza-4-methyl-androst-16-en-3-one, 2, 17-iodo-4-aza-androst-16-en-3-one, 3) were carried out in the presence of palladium catalysts using various olefins (methyl acrylate, ethyl methacrylate, allyl alcohol and allyl acetate) as coupling partners. With methyl acrylate, a side reaction was observed: the coupling product underwent a Diels-Alder reaction with the excess of methyl acrylate resulting in a six-membered carbocyclic E-ring. Reaction conditions of the synthesis of the Heck-product were optimized. Although the coupling with allyl alcohol led to the formation of 21-formyl-16-pregnene derivatives, the synthesis of the corresponding steroidal unsaturated alcohol could be achieved only via hydrolysis of the coupling product of the alkenyl iodide with allyl acetate.