TY - JOUR
T1 - Synthesis of the catechols of natural and synthetic estrogens by using 2-iodoxybenzoic acid (IBX) as the oxidizing agent
AU - Saeed, Muhammad
AU - Zahid, Muhammad
AU - Rogan, Eleanor
AU - Cavalieri, Ercole
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by U.S. Public Health Service grant P01 CA-49210 from the National Cancer Institute. Core support to the Eppley Institute is provided by grant P30 CA36727 from the National Cancer Institute.
PY - 2005/3
Y1 - 2005/3
N2 - A method for the synthesis of 2-hydroxyestrone/estradiol, 4-hydroxyestrone/estradiol, 3′-hydroxydiethylstilbestrol, 3′-hydroxyhexestrol, and 3′-hydroxydienestrol is reported, in which 2-iodoxybenzoic acid (IBX) and the corresponding phenolic estrogen are reacted. Treatment of the natural estrogens, estrone/estradiol, with stoichiometric amounts of IBX in dimethylformamide initially yielded a mixture of estrone/estradiol-2,3- and -3,4-quinones, which were reduced in situ to the corresponding catechols by treatment with a 1 M aqueous solution of ascorbic acid. Chromatographic separation of the reaction products afforded 2- and 4-hydroxyestrone/estradiol in good overall yields (79%). In the case of the synthetic estrogens containing two identical phenolic rings, protection of one ring is a prerequisite for the synthesis of the monocatechol. Thus, diethylstilbestrol and dienestrol were protected at one phenol ring as their methyl ethers. The resulting monophenols were treated with stoichiometric amounts of IBX for 1 h, followed by treatment with 1 M aqueous ascorbic acid to obtain the corresponding catechols in more than 70% yield. Furthermore, the catechol of diethylstilbestrol, protected at one ring, was reduced by catalytic hydrogenation at the C3-C4 double bond to obtain 3′-hydroxyhexestrol in 90% yield. Removal of the protected methoxy groups of the synthetic estrogen catechols was carried out by treatment with a 1 M solution of boron tribromide in dichloromethane. This method is highly efficient for the preparative scale synthesis of catechols of both natural and synthetic estrogens.
AB - A method for the synthesis of 2-hydroxyestrone/estradiol, 4-hydroxyestrone/estradiol, 3′-hydroxydiethylstilbestrol, 3′-hydroxyhexestrol, and 3′-hydroxydienestrol is reported, in which 2-iodoxybenzoic acid (IBX) and the corresponding phenolic estrogen are reacted. Treatment of the natural estrogens, estrone/estradiol, with stoichiometric amounts of IBX in dimethylformamide initially yielded a mixture of estrone/estradiol-2,3- and -3,4-quinones, which were reduced in situ to the corresponding catechols by treatment with a 1 M aqueous solution of ascorbic acid. Chromatographic separation of the reaction products afforded 2- and 4-hydroxyestrone/estradiol in good overall yields (79%). In the case of the synthetic estrogens containing two identical phenolic rings, protection of one ring is a prerequisite for the synthesis of the monocatechol. Thus, diethylstilbestrol and dienestrol were protected at one phenol ring as their methyl ethers. The resulting monophenols were treated with stoichiometric amounts of IBX for 1 h, followed by treatment with 1 M aqueous ascorbic acid to obtain the corresponding catechols in more than 70% yield. Furthermore, the catechol of diethylstilbestrol, protected at one ring, was reduced by catalytic hydrogenation at the C3-C4 double bond to obtain 3′-hydroxyhexestrol in 90% yield. Removal of the protected methoxy groups of the synthetic estrogen catechols was carried out by treatment with a 1 M solution of boron tribromide in dichloromethane. This method is highly efficient for the preparative scale synthesis of catechols of both natural and synthetic estrogens.
KW - 2-Iodoxybenzoic acid (IBX)
KW - Catechol synthesis
KW - Dienestrol
KW - Diethylstilbestrol
KW - Estradiol
KW - Estrone
KW - Hexestrol
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U2 - 10.1016/j.steroids.2004.11.005
DO - 10.1016/j.steroids.2004.11.005
M3 - Article
C2 - 15763595
AN - SCOPUS:14844307099
SN - 0039-128X
VL - 70
SP - 173
EP - 178
JO - Steroids
JF - Steroids
IS - 3
ER -