Aldosterone, Barton nitrite photolysis reaction

The book explores the invention of new chemical reactions for use in the synthesis of biologically and economically important compounds. It begins with a mechanistic study of the industrial importance of the pyrolysis of chlorinated alkanes. It continues with a theory on the biosynthesis of phenolate derived alkaloids involving phenolate radical coupling. Included in the book is a description of the work on nitrite photolysis (the Barton Reaction) which involved the invention of new radical chemistry leading to a simple synthesis of the hormone, aldosterone. In two final chapters Dr Shyamal Parekh views Professor Barton s pioneering work from the modern perspective, with a review of recent applications in industry and research. 

In a similar manner, 11/3-nitrites, on photolysis, attack Ci to furnish the corresponding oximes which, upon nitrous acid treatment, gave 18-oxygenated steroids. The most spectacular application of the Barton reaction has been a three-step synthesis of aldosterone.12 Irradiation of corticosterone-11-nitrite (27, R = NO), followed by nitrous acid treatment, gave aldosterone (29) in 15% overall yield. Comparable conversions of 11/3-hydroxyprogesterone to 21-desoxyaldosterone12 and A1-corticosterone to A aldosterone14 have also been achieved. 

Barton reaction In the Barton reaction " a methyl group in the 7 -position to an OH group is converted into an oxime group. For example, corticosterone acetate (2.45) on reaction with nitrosyl chloride (NOCl) in pyridine forms its 1 l -nitrite 2.46, which on photolysis in toluene gives aldosterone acetate oxime (2.47) in 21% yield. Treatment of 2.47 with nitrous acid (HNO2) gives aldosterone acetate (2.48) (Scheme 2.40). 

A classic example of the Barton reaction is the key step in a synthesis of the acetate 24 of aldosterone, a hormone of the adrenal cortex (4.24). Photolysis of the nitrite 22 provided the oxime 23, which on hydrolysis with nitrous acid gave aldosterone-21-acetate direetly. In this case the yield is limited in part by competing... 

In the improved synthesis of aldosterone by Barton, a key step involved photolysis of the nitrite 53 to give the desired attack at C-18, which then reacted with the hydroxyl at C-11 to produce a hydroxylamine group that then cyclized to the nitrone. Further work showed that the yield of the nitrone varied with the choice of solvent used in the photolysis. A systematic study of the photolysis of lip-nitrites showed that for this reaction the solvent order of MeCN > THF > PhCl > PhMe > benzene > acetone and addition of base (1% solvent volume) gave improved yields. 

Remote Oxidation.—Remote oxidation reactions generally involve intramolecular hydrogen abstraction. The best known example is the Barton reaction (photolysis of nitrite esters). "- One of the most important applications of this reaction was to the synthesis of aldosterone acetate. The yield of this reaction has been substantially improved (55%) by irradiating the dienone nitrite ester (172) in which the extended conjugation ensures that sufficient separation between C-19 and the 11/3-oxygen atom exists to suppress functionalization at C-19 in favour of attack at C-18. Another recent application of the Barton reaction occurred in the synthesis of perhydrohistrionicotoxin (175), where the key step was the stereoselective formation of the oxime (174) from the nitrite ester (173). °... 

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