Androsta-4,16-dien

CONTROLLED RELEASE TECHNOLOGY - PHARMACEUTICAL] pol 7) Androsta-l,4-diene-3,17-dione [63-05-8]... 

Interest in the synthesis of 19-norsteroids as orally active progestins prompted efforts to remove the C19 angular methyl substituent of readily available steroid precursors. Industrial applications include the direct conversion of androsta-l,4-diene-3,17-dione [897-06-3] (92) to estrone [53-16-7] (26) by thermolysis in mineral oil at about 500°C (136), and reductive elimination of the angular methyl group of the 17-ketal of the dione [2398-63-2] (93) with lithium biphenyl radical anion to form the 17-ketal of estrone [900-83-4] (94) (137). 

Dehydration of (105) to derivative (androsta-4,9-diene-3,17-dione [1035-69-4]) (106) provided starting material for corticosteroid synthesis... 

The rate of side-chain cleavage of sterols is limited by the low solubiUty of substrates and products and thek low transport rates to and from cells. Cyclodextrins have been used to increase the solubiUties of these compounds and to assist in thek cellular transport. Cyclodextrins increase the rate and selectivity of side-chain cleavage of both cholesterol and P-sitosterol with no effect on cell growth. Optimal conditions have resulted in enhancement of molar yields of androsta-l,4-diene-3,17-dione (92) from 35—40% to >80% in the presence of cyclodextrins (120,145,146,155). 

Ketonic carbonyl groups are commonly encountered in steroids and their reduction is facile, even in the absence of an alcohol. The lithium-ammonia reduction of androsta-l,4-diene-3,17-dione affords androst-4-ene-3,17-dione in 20% yield but concurrent reduction of the C-17 ketone results in formation of testosterone in 40% yield, even though the reduction is performed rapidly at —40 to —60° and excess lithium is destroyed with solid ammonium chloride. Similar reduction of the C-17 carbonyl group has been observed in other compounds. In the presence of an alcohol, a ketone is complete-... 

A variety of conjugated dienones are reduced by lithium-ammonia, presumably via dienyl carbanions analogous to the allyl carbanions encountered in enone reductions. Cross-conjugated l,4-dien-3-ones afford 4-en-3-ones as the major reduction products, indicating that the cyclohexadienyl carbanion (55) protonates largely at C-1. Some protonation at C-5 does occur as shown by examination of the NMR spectrum of the crude reduction product derived from the 17-ethylene ketal of androsta-l,4-diene-3,17-dione. The 17-ethylene ketal of androst-4-ene-3,17-dione is formed in 75%... 

Most dienones that have been reduced have structures such that they cannot give epimeric products. However, reduction of 17 -hydroxy-7,17a-dimethyl-androsta-4,6-dien-3-one (63) affords 17 -hydroxy-7j9,17a-dimethylandrost-4-en-3-one (64), the thermodynamically most stable product, albeit in only 16% yield. The remainder of the reduction product was not identified. Presumably the same stereoelectronic factors that control protonation of the / -carbon of the allyl carbanion formed from an enone control the stereochemistry of the protonation of the (5-carbon of the dienyl carbanion formed from a linear dienone. The formation of the 7 -methyl compound from compound (63) would be expected on this basis. 

The 17-ethylene ketal of androsta-l,4-diene-3,17-dione is reduced to the 17-ethylene ketal of androst-4-en-3,17-dione in about 75% yield (66% if the product is recrystallized) under the conditions of Procedure 8a (section V). However, metal-ammonia reduction probably is no longer the method of choice for converting 1,4-dien-3-ones to 4-en-3-ones or for preparing 5-en-3-ones (from 4,6-dien-3-ones). The reduction of 1,4-dien-3-ones to 4-en-3-ones appears to be effected most conveniently by hydrogenation in the presence of triphenylphosphine rhodium halide catalysts. Steroidal 5-en-3-ones are best prepared by base catalyzed deconjugation of 4-en-3-ones. ... 

With dienones exchange of all potentially activated hydrogens is less certain. For example, in alkaline medium, androsta-3,5-dien-7-one (26) undergoes complete exchange, while only the 2,2,4-trideutero derivative... 

Isolated tetrasubstituted double bonds do not react under these conditions and the saturation of trisubstituted double bonds is extremely slow, thus limiting the general utility of the method. This difference in reactivity is used to advantage for the selective deuteration of the -double bond in androsta-l,4-diene-3,17-dione (138). In homogeneous solution, saturation usually occurs from the a-side and consequently the deuterium labels are in... 

Hydroxyandrosta-4,6-dien-3-one. A suspension of 42 g of crude androsta-4,6-diene-3j ,17j -diol in 2000 ml of chloroform is treated with 250 g of activated, manganese dioxide. The mixture is then shaken vigorously for 15 min in a stoppered flask. The mixture is filtered and the manganese dioxide washed well with chloroform in order to elute material which initially remains adsorbed on the solid phase. The filtrate is concentrated to a pale yellow, crystalline residue. Recrystallization from acetonitrile gives 38 g (90%) of 17/ -hydroxyandrosta-4,6-dien-3-one as plates mp 211-214°. 

Iodine azide is a highly selective reagent addition to the 16-double bond of androsta-4,16-diene-3-ones is possible and some selectivity in addition to the 16-double bond of A -dienes has been observed.Hydroxy groups in the steroid should be protected, e.g., by acetylation, since in some instances oxidized side products are formed. 

The dry tosylhydrazone (20 g, 45.5 mmol) is dissolved in 750 ml of 1,2-dimethoxyethane (freshly distilled from lithium aluminum hydride) in a flame-dried 1 liter round bottom flask fitted with a 240 ml addition funnel, a drierite tube and a magnetic stirrer. A 2.05 M ether solution of methyllithium (130 ml, Alfa Inorganics, Inc.—Caution to avoid the mineral oil impurity the methyllithium solution is decanted from a cold solution which contains a precipitate) is placed in the dropping funnel and added over a 60 min period. The temperature of the reaction mixture increases to ca. 35° during the addition however, no cooling precautions are required. The highly colored reaction mixture is stirred for 7 hr and then poured into 1.5 liters of ice water. The flocculent precipitate is digested for 12 hr at room temperature to speed the filtration. After filtration the filter cake is washed with 500 ml water and dried under vacuum at 50° for several hr. The androsta-5,16-dien-3l5-ol is obtained in ca. 70% yield after recrystallization from methanol mp 138-139°. 

The direct reaction of androsta-l,4-diene-3,17-dione with acetylene in the presence of potassium t-amyloxide gives the 17a-ethynyl-17j -hydroxyandros-ta-l,4-dien-3-one in only 12% yield. 

Acetoxy-ta,2a-methy/enandrosta-4.6-dien-3-one and 17[3-Acetoxy-1-methy/androsta-1,4,6-trien-3-one ... 

Acetoxyandrosta-4,6-dien-3-one-[2 ,la-c]-iyi -pyrazoline, 106, 107 17 /3-Acetoxy androsta-1,4,6-triene-3 -one, 106 3/3-Acetoxyandrost-5-en-17/3-carboxylic acid, 174... 

Androsta-4,9 (11) -diene-3,17-dione, 150 Androsta-5,16-dien-3 -ol, 33 Androstane-3, 6/3,17 -triol 3, 17-diacetate, 244... 

---