Cyclopropyl→cyclobutyl rearrangement in intramolecular cyclization of 3,5-bridged B-secoandrostane-6,7(or 5,7)-diols and mass spectra of products

Abstract

Acid-catalyzed intramolecular cyclization of 6,7-dihydroxy-3α,5-cyclo-6,7-seco-5α-androstan-17-one (VII), 5,7-dihydroxy-3,5-methylene-5,7-secoandrostan-17-one and 5,7-dihydroxy-3β,5-cyclo-5,7-seco-A-homo-5β-androstan-17-one (XIII) in benzene and dioxane was investigated. The main cyclization products were 3,5-methylene-6-oxaandrostan-17-one (I) and/or 3β,5-cyclo-6-oxa-A-homo-5β-androstan-17-one (VIII). In the case of VI and VII the ratio of I and VIII was solvent-dependent: in benzene more VIII was formed than in dioxane. The mass spectra of I and VIII were almost identical and corresponded to the structure VIII.