title: 18-substituted steroids--9[1]. Studies on the stability of aldosterone in dilute alkali.
abstract: In the presence of dilute alkali at room temperature aldosterone undergoes rearrangement to form an isomeric compound identified as 11 beta, 18;18,21-diepoxy-20,21-dihydroxypregn-4-en-3-one. The presence of dissolved oxygen causes simultaneous degradation to form 11 beta, 18-epoxy-18-hydroxy-3-oxo-17(beta H)-androst-4-ene-17 alpha-carboxylic acid. Under similar alkaline conditions at reflux temperature in aqueous methanol aldosterone undergoes rearrangement to form (20S)-20,21-dihydroxy-3-oxo-pregn-4-eno-18,11 beta-lactone accompanied by an intramolecular aldol type condensation to form 11 beta, 21-dihydroxy-18,21-cyclopregna-4,18(21)-diene-3,20-dione. Identical products were formed from 17-isoaldosterone. The mechanisms of these reactions are discussed.
mesh_terms: D000450:Aldosterone; D000468:Alkalies; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D007536:Isomerism; D012996:Solutions
chemical_list: D000468:Alkalies; D012996:Solutions; D000450:Aldosterone