Bromination of 5a-lanost-8-en-3-one and 5a-lanost-8-ene-3,7,ll-trione

Abstract

Monobromination of 5α-lanost-8-en-3-one (la) under kinetic conditions gave exclusively the 2β- bromo ketone (3a) whilst under equilibrium conditions the product contained 85% of the 2α-bromo ketone (2a).

Monobromination of 5a-lanost-8-ene-3,7,11-trione (1b) under kinetic conditions gave the 2a-bromo ketone (2b); 33% of the 2β-bromo ketone (3b) was formed under equilibrium conditions. The configuration assigned to the bromo ketones (2b) and (3b) has been confirmed by reduction with sodium borohydride and treatment of the derived bromohydrins (4b) and (6b) with base to give the 2β,3β-epoxide (5b) and the 3-ketone (1b) respectively. Cleavage of the 2β,3β(-epoxide (5a) with acetic acid gave 2α-acetoxy-5α-lanost-8-en-3β-ol (7) as the major product and 3α-acetoxy-5α-lanost- 8-en-2β-ol (a), in a boat like conformation, as the minor product.