Abstract
The synthesis of 1, 2- and 2, 3-dimethoxy-4-methylestra-1, 3, 5 (10)-trien-17β-ols (XIIIc, VIII c) from androsta-1, 4-diene-3, 17-dione (I), which is readily available as the micro-bial transformation product derived from cholesterol, has been undertaken. The desired compounds could be obtained by introducing an oxygen function into 1-and 3-methoxy- 4-methylestratrienes (XIc, VId) employing Friedel-Crafts reaction with acetyl chloride followed by Baeyer-Villiger oxidation as shown in Chart 1 and 2.
