title: The chemistry of 9 alpha-hydroxysteroids. 3. Methods for selective formation and dehydrations of 17 beta-cyano-9 alpha,17 alpha-dihydroxyandrost-4-en-3-one.
abstract: Two methods to produce the 17-cyanohydrin, using potassium cyanide in acetic acid/methanol or acetone cyanohydrin with aqueous sodium hydroxide, were followed with 9 alpha-hydroxyandrost-4-ene-3,17-dione, both providing 17 beta-cyano-9 alpha,17 alpha-dihydroxyandrost-4-en-3-one. The selectivity of one of these methods, that which uses acetone cyanohydrin, is not in agreement with a comparable reaction with the 9 alpha-unsubstituted androst-4-ene-13,17-dione to give the 17 alpha-cyano-17 beta-hydroxy product, as reported in the literature and confirmed by us. The 9 alpha-hydroxy and 17 alpha-hydroxy groups were used for the regioselective introduction of 9(11)- and 16(17)-double bonds by dehydrating 17 beta-cyano-9 alpha,17 alpha-dihydroxyandrost-4-en-3-one under different conditions.
authors.affiliation: Research and Development, Gist-brocades, Delft, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Batist
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Barendse
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Marx
mesh_terms: D000734:Androstenediols / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D000734:Androstenediols; D014867:Water; C063883:17-cyano-9,17-dihydroxyandrost-4-ene-3-one