The TBS group was then removed with aqueous hydrofluoric acid to provide diol 12. This material was crystalline, and we were able to confirm the relative stereochemistry at C1 and C4 by X-ray diffraction. We could then directly oxidize both alcohols using a modification of the method developed by Zhao. TEMPO was too bulky to perform oxidation at C1, but by replacing TEMPO with the less sterically hindered N-Oxyl ABNO, we could concomitantly form both the A-ring enone and carboxylic acid. This acid was methylated without purification to provide dienone 11 in good yield over two steps.