An Attempted Cascade Radical-Mediated Cyclisation Approach to Ring-D Aromatic Steroids

A synthetic approach to ring-D aromatic steroids, viz. 5, based on a cascade of radical-mediated cyclisations from the ortho-aryl-substituted iododienynones 12 and 13, instead led to the macrocyclic ketone 16 or to the novel bridged tricycle 17, respectively, as the major products.