Reactions of iron pentacarbonyl with some steroid dienes

Abstract

Tricarbonyliron complexes of steroidal Δ 2,4- and Δ 5,7-dienes have been prepared. The transoid Δ 3,5- and Δ 4,6-dienes, when heated with iron pentacarbonyl, rearrange to form the cisoid Δ 2,4-diene complexes. Complex formation, followed by liberation of the diene ligand, thus offers a means of converting heteroannular steroidal dienes into their thermodynamically less stable homoannular isomers.