Suppression of tumor and plasma estrogen levels by inhibition of aromatase is one of the most effective treatments for postmenopausal breast cancer patients. Starting from an easy, syntheticallyaccessible, benzophenone scaffold, a new class of potent aromataseinhibitors was synthesized, endowed with high selectivity with respectto 17
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-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase (CYP17). Compounds
1b and
1dproved to be among the most potent inhibitors described so far.