AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF PHARMACOLOGICALLY ACTIVE (Z/E)-GUGGULSTERONES

摘要

The invention relates to an improved process for producing pharmacologically active synthetic stereoisomeric mixture of guggulsterones (4) in the three steps. The mixture of guggulsterones consists of Z-guggulsterone [4,17(20)-trans-pregnadiene-3,16-dione] and E-guggulsterone [4,17(20)-cis- pregnadiene-3,16-dione] and could be in any relative ratio. This improved process comprises (a) epoxidation of 16-dehydropregnanolone acetate (1) with hydrogen peroxide (b) reduction of the so obtained epoxide (2) with hydrazine hydrate and (c) oxidation of the diol (3).