Hydride reduction of B-norcholestane 5α,6α-epoxide

Abstract

B-Norcholestane epoxide 2 is reduced with lithium aluminium hydride to give either the 3β,6α-diol 3 or the corresponding 3β,5α-diol 4, depending on the quality of the reducing reagent employed. Aplausible mechanistic explanation of the obtained results is suggested.

Keywords

• 5α,6α-epoxy-b-norcholestan-3β-yl acetate
• 5α-hydroxy-b-norcholestan-3β-yl acetate
• 6α-hydroxy-b-nor-5β-cholestan-3β-yl acetate
• lithium aluminium hydride
• lithium triethylborohydride