Rapid synthesis of long chain fatty acid esters of steroids in ionic liquids with microwave irradiation: expedient one-pot procedure for estradiol monoesters.

We report the rapid synthesis (1min) in high yield of fatty acid ester (FAE) derivatives of several steroids under microwave irradiation in an ionic liquid (IL). An expedient regioselective hydrolysis at C-3 of estradiol diesters is also reported.