Bisquaternary ammonium salts derived from 3α,12α-Diamino-5β-cholane and 3α,12α-Diamino-24-nor-5β-cholane

Abstract

The preparation of 3α,12α-bisdimethylamino-5β-cholane dimethiodide, 3α,12α-bisdimethylamino-5β-cholane dimethiodide, 3α,12α- bisdimethylamino-24-nor-5β-cholanedimethiodide, and 3α,12α- bisdimethylamino-24-nor-5β-cholanediethiodide, from deoxycholic acid are described. During this work it was found that attempted copper- quinoline decarboxylation of dehydrocholic acid gives rise to lactol formation, and that what had previously been considered to be 3α,12α- dihydroxy-5β-cholane is a mixture of this compound and 12α,24- dihydroxy-5β-cholane. Comparable selectivity of attack by methanesulphonyl chloride and toluene-p-sulphonyl chloride occurs with various polyhydric alcohols derived from bile acids, as evidenced from the products of reduction of the sulphonates with lithium aluminium hydride. With both 5α- and 5β-cholane derivatives, a C 3 equatorial hydroxyl group exhibits comparable reactivity to the terminal primary hydroxyl group, generated from the bile acid carboxylic group, towards both sulphonyl chlorides. With axial hydroxyl groups at C 7 and C 12, toluene-p-sulphonate formation is much more difficult than methane- sulphonate formation. Reduction by means of lithium aluminium hydride of equatorial sulphonate esters at C 7 and C 12 gives rise to a methylene group, but the axial sulphonates under the same conditions give the axial alcohol. The same clear distinction between equatorial and axial sulphonate esters is not observed at C 3 and C 6, but 17α- methanesulphonyloxy-5α-androstane gives 5α-androstane and the 17β- ester gives 17β-hydroxy-5α-androstane. Reduction of 12-oximino groups in both 5α- and 5β-cholanes with sodium and ethanol, hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst, or lithium aluminium hydride gives solely the 12α-amino compound.