Sequential pericyclic reaction of ene-diallene:: synthesis of (±)-estrone

The one-pot construction of perhydrophenanthrene from an acyclic substrate was achieved via a sequential pericyclic reaction, which involved the in situ generation of ene-diallene species due to Myers' propargyl alcohol-allene transformation. The resulting perhydrophenanthrene derivative could be successfully converted into (+/-)-estrone. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.