Abstract
From the stereochemical point of view, sodium borohydide reduction of the four possible 14-deoxy-15-oxocardenolides (14β, 17β; 14β, 17α; 14α, 17β; 14α, 17α) wasinvestigated. The 15-oxo group in the 14β-cardenolides (C/D cis) was reduced to give 15α-hydroxy epimer as the main product, while predominant formation of 15β-hydroxy epimer was observed with the 14α-cardenolides (C/D trans), irrespective of the configurationof the butenolide at C-17.
