m-Chloroperbenzoic acid → 2alpha,3alpha-Epoxy-5alpha-pregnan-20-one

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Reaction Steps

5α-pregnan-2-ene-20-one (3.05 g) in 50 mL of chloroform was treated with m-chloroperbenzoic acid (50-60%, 4.0 g). The solution was stirred at room temperature overnight (14 h) under an argon atmosphere. The solution was diluted with more chloroform (250 mL), washed with dilute potassium bicarbonate solution (2×150 mL), with water (2×100 mL), and finally with brine, and dried over magnesium sulfate and evaporated to an oil which crystallized on standing. Flash chromatography on a silica gel bed (200 g) and eluting with hexane/ethyl acetate (90:10) recovered in fraction 67-110 (collecting 20 mL volumes) 1.194 g of the title compound.

Provenance & Evidence