Dexamethasone → Cortisol

Participants

Reaction Steps

Hydrocortisone or prednisolone or dexamethasone or bethamethasone is reacted with an alkyl formylalkanoate in a solution of dichloromethane in the presence of catalytic amount of perchloric acid to produce the corresponding 17,21-carboxycyclic acetal pregnane derivatives, e.g., when hydrocortisone and methyl formylbutyrate are used the product is (IV) 11β-hydroxy-3,20-dioxo-17,21-(methoxycarbonyl-n-propyl) methylenedioxy-4-pregnene; when prednisolone and methyl formylacetate are used the product is (V) 11β-hydroxy-3,20-dioxo-17,21-(methoxycarbonylmethyl)methylenedioxy-1,4-pregnadiene.

Provenance & Evidence