Epoxides, vinyl deprotection

Another synthesis of the cortisol side chain from a C17-keto-steroid is shown in Figure 20. Treatment of a C3-protected steroid 3,3-ethanedyidimercapto-androst-4-ene-ll,17-dione [112743-82-5] (144) with a tnhaloacetate, 2inc, and a Lewis acid produces (145). Addition of a phenol and potassium carbonate to (145) in refluxing butanone yields the aryl vinyl ether (146). Concomitant reduction of the C20-ester and the Cll-ketone of (146) with lithium aluminum hydride forms (147). Deprotection of the C3-thioketal, followed by treatment of (148) with y /(7-chlotopetben2oic acid, produces epoxide (149). Hydrolysis of (149) under acidic conditions yields cortisol (29) (181). 

Z-vinyl iodide was obtained by hydroboration and protonolysis of an iodoalkyne. The two major fragments were coupled by a Suzuki reaction at Steps H-l and H-2 between a vinylborane and vinyl iodide to form the C(ll)-C(12) bond. The macrocyclization was done by an aldol addition reaction at Step H-4. The enolate of the C(2) acetate adds to the C(3) aldehyde, creating the C(2)-C(3) bond and also establishing the configuration at C(3). The final steps involve selective deprotonation and oxidation at C(5), deprotection at C(3) and C(7), and epoxidation. 

Vinyl selenides have been lithiated at the a-position by LDA983,984 at —78 °C in THF to give a-(arylselanyl)vinyllithiums 680, a-(methylselanyl)vinyllithiums 681 being obtained by selenium-lithium transmetallation from l,l-bis(methylselanyl)alkenes with n-BuLi in THF or t-BuLi in ether at —78 °C985 986. These intermediates reacted with alkyl halides, epoxides, carbonyl compounds and DMF985, the final deprotection being performed by mercury(II) salts986. 

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