Facile synthesis, aggregation behavior, and cholesterol solubilization ability of avicholic acid.

[reaction: see text] Avicholic acid, a major constituent of the bile of several avian species, was synthesized in eight steps from readily available chenodeoxycholic acid in 9% overall yield using Breslow's remote functionalization strategy in a key step. Micelle formation and equilibrium cholesterol solubilization properties were studied for avicholate in aqueous solution.