Comparative studies of bile salts. 16-Deoxymyxinol, a second bile alcohol from hagfish.

1. Material containing the less polar sulphate previously noticed in hagfish bile salts gave, after dioxan-trichloroacetic acid cleavage, 16-deoxymyxinol [3beta,7alpha,-26(27)-trihydroxy-5alpha-cholestane]. 2. Anodic coupling of 3beta-hydroxy-5beta-cholanoic acid and the mixed half esters of dl-methylsuccinic acid, followed by lithium aluminium hydride reduction, yielded 3beta,26(27)-dihydroxy-5beta-cholestane. 3. 16-Deoxymyxinol, the third known bile alcohol having the 3beta-hydroxy-5alpha-hydrogen configuration, poses again the question of how the 3beta-hydroxyl group of cholesterol can be ;retained' in biosynthesis of primitive bile salts.