Steroid modification

In every case the information provided has been obtained by collating public domain sources of information, but unfortunately very often little data is available, particularly on commercial aspects, even for products that have proved to be big successes. Thus microbial biotransformations for steroid modification, particularly stereoselective hydroxylations, such as the use of Rhizopus arrhizus to convert progesterone into antiinflammatory and other dmgs via 11- -hydroxyprogestrone, have proved to be very successful. However, comparatively little useful information exists from public domain sources, despite (or perhaps because) a market of hundreds of millions /a exists for such microbially transformed steroids (cortisone, aldosterone, prednisolone and prednisone etc.) produced by microbial hydroxylation and dehydrogenation reactions coupled with complimentary chemical steps. 

Figure 23-6 Common steroid modifications to alter therapeutic utility. prodrug.

Cheetham [1] discusses the twelve most successful commercial biotransformations (excluding steroid modification). About half of these use continuous bioreactors with immobilized biocatalysts. These processes yield relatively low value, high volume products, whereby even small improvements in the production process represent large amoimts of money, justifying the necessary research and development in process optimization. No imifying criteria exist that form a basis upon which to choose the mode of operation. 

A major trend in organic synthesis, however, is the move towards complex systems. It may happen that one needs to combine a steroid and a sugar molecule, a porphyrin and a carotenoid, a penicillin and a peptide. Also the specialists in a field have developed reactions and concepts that may, with or without modifications, be applied in other fields. If one needs to protect an amino group in a steroid, it is advisable not only to search the steroid literature but also to look into publications on peptide synthesis. In the synthesis of corrin chromophores with chiral centres, special knowledge of steroid, porphyrin, and alkaloid chemistry has been very helpful (R.B. Woodward, 1967 A. Eschenmoser, 1970). 

Steroidal and Nonsteroidal Estrogens. Modification of the basic steroid skeleton and the nature of the functional groups in the B, C, and D rings while maintaining the phenoHc A-ring has continued to be a primary approach in the development of new estrogens with unique biological profiles. 

A third advancement in microbial biotechnology of steroid production was the abiUty to introduce a 16a-hydroxyl group microbiologicaHy (163). Modifications of the liP-hydroxylation, 16a-hydroxylation 1,2-dehydrogenation microbial processes are used for the synthesis of hydrocortisone, prednisolone, triamcinolone, and other steroid pharmaceuticals. A few microbial transformations that have been used to manufacture steroids are Hsted in Table 1 (164). 

The discovery that vitamin was metabolized to biologically active derivatives led to a significant effort to prepare 25-hydroxy vitamin and, subsequendy, the 1 a-hydroxy and 1,25 dihydroxy derivatives. Initial attempts centered around modification of steroidal precursors, which were then converted to the D derivatives by conventional means. 

A recent modification of this technique utilizes A,A-d2-propylamine as the solvent for the lithium reduction, thereby eliminating the inconveniences associated with the preparation and handling of liquid deuterioammonia. Under these conditions the reaction can be carried out at room temperature and less overreduction of the carbonyl group is observed. For example, the reduction of A" -3-keto steroids (159) under these conditions, followed by back exchange in protic media, leads to the corresponding 5a-di-3-ketones (160) which exhibit good isotopic purity. ... 

The modification and enhancement of biological activity of drugs and hormones by fluorination represent one of the most fruitful recent developments in medicinal chemistry. Its first successes and most interesting subsequent developments were in the steroid field. Almost every new technique of introducing fluorine into organic compounds has been applied in this area and, as a result of both the gross and subtle chemical differences which steroids display at different locations of the nucleus, has produced a wealth of new chemistry. 

In a useful modification of this method, la-methyl-A -3-keto steroids are obtained by methylation of the A -3-keto systems (20). However, it is unexpectedly difficult to convert the intermediate la-methyl-A -3-keto compound (21) into the conjugated ketone (22). 

Steroids not readily accessible by modification of plant starting materials, for example, those possessing unusual substituents at the angular positions, are made available by total synthesis. 

In section 9.3, we discussed in general terms the use of microbial metabolism to selectively remove the side chain from sterols to produce steroids. This removal may also be accompanied by some modification to the ring structure. We did not, however, discuss in any detail any specific reactions. In this section we will focus on some specific reactions. 

An interesting example for the modification of steroids by the addition of 5a-cholestanes to an Af(V-dimethyl(methylene)iminium salt with good stereoselectivity has been reported7. 

The effect of various chemical modifications on the mechanical properties of reconstituted collagen and the diffusion rates of the steroid medroxyprogesterone was investigated (38). Formaldehyde-treated films, which are heavily crosslinked, have high moduli and low rates of drug release. Films treated with chrome quickly become hydrated in solution and have low moduli and very rapid drug release characteristics. 

NAGEL s c, VOM SAAL F s, WELSHONS w V (1999) Developmental effects of oestrogenic chemicals are predicted by an in vitro assay incorporating modification of cell uptake by serum. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 69 343-57. 

During recent years, cross metathesis has found a wide range of applications in total synthesis. CM has been the key step in the syntheses of (-)-lasubine 11 [134], (+)-7a-ept-7-deoxycasuarine [135], and melithiazole C [136] to name just a few examples. It has been used for the modification of tetrapyrrolic macrocycles [137] as well as erythromycin derivatives [138], the dimerisation of steroids [139] and the synthesis of prostaglandin analogues [140]. 

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