Controlled alkaline hydrolysis of steroidal alpha-bromoketones: new conditions and synthesis of 2 alpha-hydroxy-3-ones.

Controlled alkaline hydrolysis of 16 alpha-bromo-17-keto steroids 1, 5 and 7 with potassium carbonate and tetra-n-butylammonium hydroxide (n-Bu4NOH) and synthesis of 2 alpha-hydroxy-3-ones 11, 13 and 16 by the controlled hydrolysis of the corresponding 2 alpha-bromo-3-ones 9, 12 and 15 are described. Treatment of the bromoketones 1,5 and 7 with potassium carbonate in aqueous acetone or with n-Bu4NOH in aqueous dimethylformamide (DMF) gave 16 alpha-hydroxy-17-ones 3m 6 and 8 in 85-90% yield, respectively. 2 alpha-Hydroxy-3-ones 11, 13 and 16 were obtained by hydrolysis of the corresponding bromoketones 9, 12 and 15 in high yields using the above conditions or sodium hydroxide in pyridine or DMF, respectively. Deuterium labeling experiments suggested that equilibration between the 2 alpha-bromoketone 9 and the 2 beta-bromo isomer 10 precedes the formation of the ketol 11 in which the true intermediate might be the 2 beta-isomer 10. However, rearranged androstane derivatives, 3 beta-hydroxy-2-one 18 and 20, were stereoselectively obtained by treatment of the bromoketones 12 and 15 with an excess amount of sodium hydroxide.