Process for the stereoselective reduction of steroid enelactams
AssigneeMerck & Co., Inc.
InventorsGuy R. Humphrey, Ross A. Miller
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Abstract
The novel process of this invention involves the reduction of certain .DELTA.-5 steroidal alkenes to selectively produce either the 5.alpha. or 5.beta. reduction products. Particularly, this invention involves reduction of .DELTA.-5 steroidal alkenes using a rhodium based catalyst in the presence of hydrogen to selectively yield 5.alpha. steroids or alternatively reduction of .DELTA.-5 steroidal alkenes in an ionizing medium with a trialkylsilane to selectively yield 5.beta. steroids.
Claims18
A process for the stereoselective reduction of a .DELTA.-5 steroidal enelactam of the formula I, wherein R is selected from H and C.sub.1-5 alkyl, and R.sup.1 is C.sub.1-10 alkyl;
- ##STR28## which comprises a treatment selected from:
- a) dissolving said .DELTA.-5 steroidal enelactam in a solvent in the presence of a rhodium-based catalyst and treating with H.sub.2 ;
- and
- b) refluxing said .DELTA.-5 steroidal enelactam in an ionizing medium in the presence of a trialkylsilane of the formula (R.sup.2).sub.3 SiH, wherein R.sup.2 is selected from C.sub.1-6 alkyl and phenyl.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.