5α-androstano [3,2-b]pyridines, 5α-androstano[17,16-b]pyridines and androst-4 and 5-eno[17,16-b]pyridines

A new synthesis of 5α-androstano[3,2-b]pyridin-17β-ol acetate (VIa) and 17-methyl-5α-androstano[3,2-b]pyridin-17β-ol (VIb), first reported by Shimizu, Ohta, Ueno, and Takegoshi, was achieved. The analogous 5α - androstano[17,16-b]pyridin-3β-ol (XII), 5α-androstano[17,16-b]pyridin-3-one (XIVa), and androst-4-eno[17,16-b]pyridin-3-one (XIVb) were also prepared. An illustration of the method follows. Condensation of 3β-hydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one (VIIa) with 3-(2-furyl)acrolein afforded 16-[3-(2-furyl)-2-propenylidene]-3β-hydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one (VIIIa), the oxime (IXa) of which was thermally cyclized to 5α-androstano[17,16-b]-6′-(2-furyl)pyridin-3β-ol (Xa). 3β-Hydroxy-5α-androstano[17,16-b]pyridine-6′-carboxylic acid (XI) was obtained by ozonolysis of Xa. Thermal decarboxylation of XI gave XII. Cinnamaldehyde was used in place of 3-(2-furyl)acrolein to give the corresponding phenylpyridines.     

Photochemical Rearrangement of a Steroidal α, β-Epoxylactam. Photochemical reactions,XII [1]

The UV. irradiation of 17β-hydroxy-4α, 5α-epoxy-2-azaandrostan-3-one ( 1 ) yields 17β-hydroxy-2-aza-10 (5 → 4-abeo)-4ζ (H)-androsta-3,5-dione ( 3 ).     

Steroidal quinoxalines

The treatment of 3β-hydroxy-16α-bromo-5α-androstan-17-one, 3β-acetoxy-16α-bromo-5-androsten-17-one and 21-bromo-5-pregnen-3β-ol-20-one with 4,5-dimethyl-o-phenylenediamine gave substituted quinoxalines. Hydrolysis of 3β-acetoxy-5-androsteno[16,17-b]-6′,7′-dimethylquinoxaline produced the corresponding 3β-hydroxy compound. 3-Oxo-4-androsteno[16,17-b]-6′,7′-dimethylquinoxaline was obtained by Oppenauer oxidation of the corresponding alcohol.     

20, 21-Azirdin-Steroide: Reaktion von Derivaten der Oxime von 5-Pregnen-20-on,9β,10α-5-Pregnen-20-on und 9β,10α-5,7-Pregnadien-20-on mit Lithiumaluminiumhydrid und von 3β-Hydroxy-5-pregnen-20-on-oxim mit Grignard-Verbindungen

20, 21-Aziridine Steroids: Reaction of Derivatives of the Oximes of 5-Pregnen-20-one, 9β, 10α-5-Pregnen-20-one and 9β, 10α-5,7-Pregnadiene-20-one with Lithium Aluminium Hydride, and of 3β-Hydroxy-5-pregnen-20-one Oxime with Grignard Reagents. Reduction of 3β-hydroxy-5-pregnen-20-one oxime ( 2 ) with LiAlH₄ in tetrahydrofuran yielded 20α-amino-5-pregnen-3β-ol ( 1 ), 20β-amino-5-pregnen-3β-ol ( 3 ), 20β, 21-imino-5-pregnen-3β-ol ( 6 ) and 20β, 21-imino-5-pregnen-3β-ol ( 9 ). The aziridines 6 and 9 were separated via the acetyl derivatives 7 and 10 . The reaction of 6 and 9 with CS₂ gave 5-(3β-hydroxy-5-androsten-17β-yl)-thiazolidine-2-thione ( 8 ). Treatment of the 20-oximes 12 and 15 of the corresponding 9β,10α(retro)-pregnane derivatives with LiAlH₄ gave the aziridines 13 and 16 , respectively. Their deamination led to the diene 14 and triene 17 , respectively. Reduction of isobutyl methyl ketone-oxime with LiAlH₄ in tetrahydrofuran yielded 2-amino-4-methyl-pentane ( 19 ) as main product, 1, 2-imino-4-methyl-pentane ( 22 ) as second product and the epimeric 2,3-imino-4-methyl-pentanes 20 and 21 as minor products. – 3β-Hydroxy-5-pregnen-20-one oxime ( 2 ) was transformed by methylmagnesium iodide in toluene to 20α, 21-imino-20-methyl-5-pregnen-3β-ol ( 23 ) and 20β, 21-imino-20-methyl-5-pregnen-3β-ol ( 26 ). Acetylation of these aziridines was accompanied by elimination reactions leading to 3β-acetoxy-20-methylidene-21-N-acetylamino-5-pregnene ( 30 ) and 3β-acetoxy-20-methyl-21-N-acetylamino-5,17-pregnadiene ( 32 ). The reaction of oxime 2 with ethylmagnesium bromide in toluene gave 20α, 21-imino-20-ethyl-5-pregnen-3β-ol ( 24 ) and 20α,21-imino-20-ethyl-5-pregnen-3β-ol ( 27 ). Acetylation of 24 and 27 led to 3β-acetoxy-20-ethylidene-21-N-acetylamino-5-pregnene ( 31 ), 3β-acetoxy-20-ethyl-21-N-acetylamino-5,17-pregnadiene 33 and 3β, 20-diacetoxy-20-ethyl-21-N-acetylamino-5-pregnene ( 37 ). With phenylmagnesium bromide in toluene the oxime 2 was transformed to 20β, 21-imino-20-phenyl-5-pregnen-3β-ol ( 25 ) and 20β,21-imino-20-phenyl-5-pregnen-3β-ol ( 28 ). Acetylation of 25 and 28 yielded 3β-acetoxy-20-phenyl-21-N-acetylamino-5, 17-pregnadiene ( 34 ) and 3β,20-diacetoxy-20-phenyl-21-N-acetylamino-5-pregnene ( 39 ). LiAlH₄-reduction of 39 gave 3β, 20-dihydroxy-20-phenyl-21-N-ethylamino-5-pregnene ( 41 ). – The 20, 21-aziridines are stable to LiAlH₄. Consequently they are no intermediates in the formation of the 20-amino derivatives obtained from the oxime 2 .     

Reaction of 3-methoxy-17-methylmorphinan-6-one with formaldehyde

Reaction of 3-methoxy-17-methylmorphinan-6-one ( 1 ) and formaldehyde with the presence of calcium hydroxide in aqueous dioxane gave 7,7-bis(hydroxymethyl)-3-methoxy-17-methyl-5-methylenemorphinan-6β-ol ( 2a ). Catalytic reduction of 2a yielded the 5α-methyl compound, 2b . Tosylation of 2a,b followed by lithium triethylborohydride reduction gave either 7α-methyl-6β,7β-oxetanes 4a,b or 7,7-dimethyl-6β-ols 5a,b , depending on reaction conditions. The C-6 ketones 6a,b were prepared by oxidation of 5a,b . One compound in this series, 6a , had antinociceptive activity.     

Synthese von 3-Oxacholestanen

Successive treatment of 5α-cholestan-3-one ( 1 ) with O₂ under basic conditions and then NaBH₄ led to 5α-3-oxa-cholestan-2-one ( 5 ). Analogous reactions with 5β-cholestan-3-one ( 6 ) yielded 5α-4-oxa-cholestan-3-one ( 7 ) and 5 ξ-3-oxa-cholestan-4-one ( 8 ). 4-Cholesten-2-one ( 10 ), which was prepared starting from 4-cholesten-3-one, was isomerized by methanolic KOH to give a mixture of 5α-cholest-3-en-2-one ( 11 ) and 5β-cholest-3-en-2-one ( 12 ). 5β-Cholestane-2,3-dione ( 17 ) was synthesized from 4β-bromo-5β-cholestan-3-one ( 13 ). Ozonolysis of the dione 17 and subsequent NaBH₄ reduction of the oxidation product gave both 5β-2-oxa-cholestan-3-one ( 18 ) and 5β-3-oxa-cholestan-2-one ( 19 ).     

Combination of carbon isotope ratio with hydrogen isotope ratio determinations in sports drug testing

Carbon isotope ratio (CIR) analysis has been routinely and successfully applied to doping control analysis for many years to uncover the misuse of endogenous steroids such as testosterone. Over the years, several challenges and limitations of this approach became apparent, e.g., the influence of inadequate chromatographic separation on CIR values or the emergence of steroid preparations comprising identical CIRs as endogenous steroids. While the latter has been addressed recently by the implementation of hydrogen isotope ratios (HIR), an improved sample preparation for CIR avoiding co-eluting compounds is presented herein together with newly established reference values of those endogenous steroids being relevant for doping controls. From the fraction of glucuronidated steroids 5β-pregnane-3α,20α-diol, 5α-androst-16-en-3α-ol, 3α-Hydroxy-5β-androstane-11,17-dione, 3α-hydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one (ANDRO), 3α-hydroxy-5β-androstan-17-one (ETIO), 3β-hydroxy-androst-5-en-17-one (DHEA), 5α- and 5β-androstane-3α,17β-diol (5aDIOL and 5bDIOL), 17β-hydroxy-androst-4-en-3-one and 17α-hydroxy-androst-4-en-3-one were included. In addition, sulfate conjugates of ANDRO, ETIO, DHEA, 3β-hydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one plus 17α- and androst-5-ene-3β,17β-diol were considered and analyzed after acidic solvolysis. The results obtained for the reference population encompassing n?=?67 males and females confirmed earlier findings regarding factors influencing endogenous CIR. Variations in sample preparation influenced CIR measurements especially for 5aDIOL and 5bDIOL, the most valuable steroidal analytes for the detection of testosterone misuse. Earlier investigations on the HIR of the same reference population enabled the evaluation of combined measurements of CIR and HIR and its usefulness regarding both steroid metabolism studies and doping control analysis. The combination of both stable isotopes would allow for lower reference limits providing the same statistical power and certainty to distinguish between the endo- or exogenous origin of a urinary steroid.     

Microbiological transformation of bicyclic monoterpenes by Absidia orchidis (Vuill.) Hagem. 2. Hydroxylation of fenchone and isofenchone. 18. Section on reactions with microorganisms

(+)-Fenchone ( 3a ) was transformed to 6-exo-hydroxy-fenchone (6β-hydroxy-1, 3, 3-trimethyl-nor-bornan-2-one) ( 1a ) and to 5-exo-hydroxy-fenchone 5β-hydroxy-1, 3, 3-trimethyl-nor-bornan-2-one ( 4a ) by the mycelium of Absidia orchidis (Vuill.) Hagem. The structure of the two products was proven by a detailed analysis of the NMR. spectra of the corresponding acetyl derivatives 2a and 5a respectively, and by CrO₃-oxidation. 1a yielded the β-diketone 6a , and 4a the diketone 8a. Whereas 8a was stable to alkali 6a was cleaved to the cyclopentane carboxylic acids 7 and 9 . — Incubation of (—)-fenchone ( 3b ) yielded the enantiomeric hydroxylation products 1b and 4b in the same ratio. - (—)-Isofenchone ( 11a ) was transformed by Absidia orchidis into the two epimers 6-endo-hydroxy-isofenchone (6β-hydroxy-1, 5, 5-trimethyl-nor-bornan-2-one) ( 12a ) and 6-exo-hydroxy-isofenchone (6β-hydroxy-1, 5, 5-trimethyl-nor-bornan-2-one) ( 10a. ) CrO₃-oxidation of both 10a and 12a gave the same β-diketone 6a. - (+)-Isofenchone gave the corresponding enantiomeric hydroxy derivatives 10b and 12b on incubation with Absidia orchidis.     

Steroidal analogues of unnatural configuration—X : Synthesis of 9-methyl-19-nor-9β,10α-progesterone

The reaction of 3,3-ethylenedioxy-9-methyl-9β-oestr-5(10)-en-17-one (4) with tosylmethyl isocyanide and base afforded the 17β- and 17α-carbonitriles (5 and 6). Treatment of the 17β-epimer (5) with methyl lithium gave, after hydrolysis, 9-methyl-19-nor-9β-pregn-5(10)-ene-3,20-dione (8). The same reaction sequence employed on 3,3; 5,5-bisethylenedioxy-9-methyl-4,5-seco-9β,10α-oestr-17-one (12), with subsequent cyclization, yielded the 5β-hydroxy-3,20-diketones (17 and 18) as well as 9-methyl-19-nor-9β,10α-progesterone (19) and its 17α-epimer (20).     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of 3-beta,20(R)-dihydroxy-protost-24-ene

The possible lanosterol precursor, 3β, 20(R)-dihydroxy-protost-24-ene ( 1 a ) has been prepared, in thirteen steps, from 3α-hydroxy-4α, 8, 14-trimethyl-18-nor-5α, 8α, 9β, 13ξ, 14β-androstan-17-one (mixture of 2 and 3 ). In vitro experiments with rat liver homogenates failed to convert 1 a to lanosterol.     

Steroidal analogues of unnatural configuration—VII : Total synthesis of 17β-hydroxy-9-methyl-9β, 10α-oestr-4-en-3-one,a novel retrotestosterone isomer

Conjugate methylation of 17β-hydroxy-des-a-oestr-9-en-5-one (1) and the derived 4,5-seco-steroid (6b) afforded the respective 9β-methyl compounds. Base-catalysed alkylation of 17β-hydroxy-9-methyl-des-a-9/gb-oestran-5-one (3a) resulted in attack at C(6); this result was used to prepare the anthrasteroid (5). Ring closure of the 9β-methyl-4,5-seco-steroid (8) derived from 6b afforded 17β-hydroxy-9-methyl-9β,10α-oestr-4-en-3-one (9a). Conjugate methylation of 17β-hydroxyoestra-4,9-dien-3-one (11) resulted in 1,4-addition to the dienone system.     

Steroids and sex hormones. Quassinoid bitter principles. I. 1-oxo-2-methoxy-4 alpha-methyl-17 beta-hydroxy-delta2-5 alpha-androstene as a model for the ring a structure of quassine]

Starting from 3-oxo-17β-hydroxy-Δ¹-5α-androstene (2b) the preparation of 1-oxo-2-methoxy-4α-methyl-17β-hydroxy-Δ²-5α-androstene (9), a compound with the ring A structure of quassine (1) is described. The key problem of the reaction sequence is shown to be the monomethylation at C(4).     

Totalsynthese von Steroiden. 1. Mitteilung. rac-17β-Hydroxydes-A-androst-9-en-5-on

In connection with earlier work on the synthesis of 9β, 10α-steroids, a new and practical synthesis of rac-17α-hydroxy-des-A-androst-9-en-5-one ( 19 ) has been developed, based on a novel stereoselective condensation of 7-hydroxy-1-nonen-3-one ( 3 ) with 2-methyl-cyclopentane-1, 3-dione ( 9 ) and subsequent transformations of the resulting tricyclic diene ether 12 .     

Reaction of a 5α-bromo-6β,19-epoxysteroid with BF3·Et2O/Ac2O: An evidence of a cyclic bromonium cation

Treatment of 3β-acetoxy-5-bromo-6β,19-epoxy-5α-androstan-17-one with Ac₂O and BF₃·OEt₂, produced the cleavage of the epoxy moiety and migration of the bromine atom to afford 3β,19-diacetoxy-6α-bromo-5-hydroxy-5β-androst-17-one in high yield.     

Effect of changes in the deuterium content of drinking water on the hydrogen isotope ratio of urinary steroids in the context of sports drug testing

The hydrogen isotope ratio (HIR) of body water and, therefore, of all endogenously synthesized compounds in humans, is mainly affected by the HIR of ingested drinking water. As a consequence, the entire organism and all of its synthesized substrates will reflect alterations in the isotope ratio of drinking water, which depends on the duration of exposure. To investigate the effect of this change on endogenous urinary steroids relevant to doping-control analysis the hydrogen isotope composition of potable water was suddenly enriched from -50 to 200 ‰ and maintained at this level for two weeks for two individuals. The steroids under investigation were 5β-pregnane-3α,20α-diol, 5α-androst-16-en-3α-ol, 3α-hydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one (ANDRO), 3α-hydroxy-5β-androstan-17-one (ETIO), 5α-androstane-3α,17β-diol, and 5β-androstane-3α,17β-diol (excreted as glucuronides) and ETIO, ANDRO and 3β-hydroxyandrost-5-en-17-one (excreted as sulfates). The HIR of body water was estimated by determination of the HIR of total native urine, to trace the induced changes. The hydrogen in steroids is partly derived from the total amount of body water and cholesterol-enrichment could be calculated by use of these data. Although the sum of changes in the isotopic composition of body water was 150 ‰, shifts of approximately 30 ‰ were observed for urinary steroids. Parallel enrichment in their HIR was observed for most of the steroids, and none of the differences between the HIR of individual steroids was elevated beyond recently established thresholds. This finding is important to sports drug testing because it supports the intended use of this novel and complementary methodology even in cases where athletes have drunk water of different HIR, a plausible and, presumably, inevitable scenario while traveling.     

Synthesis of the 2,5-dioles of A-nor-5-alpha-cholestanes and A-nor-5-beta-cholestanes

Treatment of A-nor-Δ³⁽⁵⁾-cholestene-2-one ( 1 ) with alkaline hydrogen peroxide gave 3β,5-epoxy-A-nor-cholestane-2-one ( 2 ) and the epoxylactone 3 (BAEYER -VILLIGER reaction). LiAlH₄-reduction of 2 yielded A-nor-5β-cholestane-2β,5-diol( 4 ) (main product) and A-nor-5β-cholestane-2α,5-diol ( 5 ). LiAlH₄-reduction of 1 led mainly to A-nor-Δ³⁽⁵⁾-cholestene-2α-ol ( 8 ). Catalytic hydrogenation of 8 gave the known A-nor-5α-cholestane-2α-01 ( 10 ), A-nor-5β-cholestane-2α-01 ( 11 ) (main product), A-nor-5β-cholestane ( 9 ) and A-nor-5β-cholestane-2-one ( 12 ). By LiAlH₄-reduction of the ketones 12 and 13 the two additional alcohols 14 and 15 were obtained.     

Thiosteroids—XXXV : Diastereomers of steroidal thiolsulfinates

17β-Hydroxy-5α-androstan-2α,3α-anti(R)-episulfoxide on treatment with methanol and ethanol in the presence of a trace amount of sulfuric acid gave diastereomers of bis((2β-methoxy- and 2β-ethoxy-17β-hydroxy-5α-androstan-3α-yl) disulfide S-monoxides respectively. The absolute configuration of the compounds was established by their Grignard reactions leading to diastereomeric phenyl sulfoxides stereoaspecifically.     

IBX in an ionic liquid: eco-friendly oxidation of 17α-methylandrostan-3β,17β-diol, an intermediate in the synthesis of anabolic oxandrolone

An easily available hypervalent iodine(V) reagent, 2-iodoxybenzoic acid (IBX) immobilized in the ionic liquid [bmim][Br] was found to be an efficient and eco-friendly protocol for the oxidation of 17α-methylandrostan-3β,17β-diol (1). At ambient temperature oxidation of 1 with IBX gave mestanolone (2) in good yield and with an increased stoichiometric amount of IBX, oxidation adjacent to the carbonyl functionality (α,β-unsaturation) occurred to give dehydrogenated 17β-hydroxy-17α-methyl-Δ¹-androsten-3-one (3) as the major product in a one-pot reaction. The product is easily obtained by extraction with diethyl ether and evaporation of the solvent.     

Dissimilar behaviour of 3β, 16α-dihydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one Diacetate under Basic and Acidic Conditions

The base-catalysed rearrangement of 3β, 16α-dihydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one diacetate ( 1 ) in (D₆)benzene/ CD₃OD to 3β, 17β-dihydroxy-5α-androstan-16-one ( 3 ) is followed by ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy. By the same procedure, it is determined that in (D₆)benzene/CD₃OD, but under acid catalysis, 1 does not rearrange to 3 but yields the intermediate product 3β, 16α-dihydroxy-5α -androstan-17-one 17α -methyl hemiacetal ( 5 ).     

Agnatasterone A and B,Unusual Pregnane Steroids Isolated from the North-East Atlantic Sponge Axinella agnata

Two novel pregnatrienolones isolated in very small amounts from the North-East-Atlantic demosponge Axinella agnata (Tetractinomorpha, Axinellida) are unique in having C(2)?C(3) (or C(3)?C(4)), C(7)?C(8), and C(16)?C(17) bonds and a 12β-OH group which, being strongly H-bonded to a 20-keto group, resists acylation. ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy of the steroids and of products of their selective epoxidation or reduction allow us to propose the structures (+)-12β-hydroxy-5α-pregna-2,7,16-trien-20-one ( = agnatasterone A, (+)- 1 ), and (+)-12β-hydroxy-5α-pregna-3,7,16-trien-20-one ( = agnatasterone B. (+)- 5 ), for the two steroids with minimal recourse to model compounds.