Studies in stereochemistry—I Stereospecific routes to trans- anti- and cis- syn-Δ-dodecahydrophenanthrenes

Reduction of trans-1-oxo-7-methoxy-1,2,3,4,9,10,11,12-octahydrophenanthrene (XI) by lithium tri-t-butoxyaluminohydride gave trans-1β-hydroxy-7-methoxy-1,2,3,4,9,10,11,12-octahydrophenanthrene (XII) which on lithium—liquid ammonia reduction gave trans-anti-1β-hydroxy-7-oxo-Δ⁸⁽¹⁴⁾-dodecahydrophenanthrene (XIII). Reduction of cis-1-oxo-7-methoxy-1,2,3,4,9,10,11,12-octahydrophenanthrene (XV) by sodium borohydride gave cis-1-hydroxy-7-methoxy-1,2,3,4,9,10,11,12-octahydrophenanthrene (XVI) which on lithium—liquid ammonia reduction gave cis-syn-1-hydroxy-7-oxo-Δ⁸⁽¹⁴⁾-dodecahydrophenanthrene (XVII).