An environmentally friendly and cost effective synthesis of estradiol featuring two novel reagents: Si(0)/KF and PMHS/hexamethyldisiloxane/pTSA

Si(0)/KF is introduced as a strong, inexpensive, environmentally friendly, and safe reagent for ‘dissolving metal’-type reduction. PMHS/hexamethyldisiloxane/pTSA is introduced as an inexpensive substitute for Et3SiH/TFA for ‘ionic hydrogenation’, where the hexamethyldisiloxane functions as a capping agent to block the oligomeric silicone by-product from cross-linking to a gel, rubber, or plastic. An environmentally friendly and cost effective synthesis of estradiol is described which showcases these new reagents.