title: Neurosteroid Analogues. 13. Synthetic methods for the preparation of 2beta-hydroxygonane derivatives as structural mimics of ent-3alpha-hydroxysteroid modulators of GABA(A) receptors.
abstract: Many different 3alpha-hydroxysteroids in the androstane and pregnane steroid series enhance the actions of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) at GABA type-A (GABA(A)) receptors in the mammalian central nervous system. Recent studies have shown that (3alpha,5alpha)-3-hydroxyandrostan-17-one (androsterone) is less active at these receptors than its enantiomer ent-androsterone. Further structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies are needed to explore the structural features of ent-androsterone that are important for its enhanced action at these receptors. Molecular modeling shows that 2beta-hydroxysteroids are similar in three-dimensional shape to the enantiomers of 3alpha-hydroxysteroids. The development of synthtetic methods to gain access to C(17)-substituted analogues of 2beta-hydroxygonanes for SAR studies is demonstrated with the synthesis of (2beta,5alpha,13beta,14beta)-2-hydroxygonan-17-one.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Pharmacology, Washington University School of Medicine, Campus Box 8103, 660 S. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Cunde
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Nigam P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Rath
authors.forename: Douglas F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Covey