Abstract
Using 1α- and 2β-hydroxy derivatives of 3β-hydroxy-17, 17-ethylenedioxyandrosta-5, 7-diene obtained in our previous work as starting materials, 1α- and 2β-hydroxylated analogues of 17-nor-17, 17-ethylenedioxyvitamin D have been prepared via (i) photochemical conrotatory opening of the B-ring and (ii) the subsequent thermal 1, 7-antarafacial hydrogen shifts. 1α-Hydroxy-17, 17-ethylenedioxyvitamin D showed no significant antirachitic activity in rats. This fact seems to suggest that, in addition to the 1α-hydroxy function, the presence of the side chain in the vitamin D system plays also an important role in the biological action of the D analogues.
