Steroids and Walden inversion. Part LIX. Reactions of some steroid α-hydroxyamines

Abstract

Reduction of 5-hydroxy-5α-cholestan-4-one oxime and 5-hydroxy-5α-cholestan-6-one oxime with sodium–ethanol and lithium aluminium hydride gives, inter alia, the 4β-, 6α-, and 6β-amino-5-hydroxy-5α-cholestanes, whose deamination is described and briefly discussed. Attempts to dehydrate these α-hydroxy-amines to the related allylic amines were unsuccessful, as also were attempted ammonolyses of 4β-chlorocholest-5-ene and 6β-chlorocholest-4-ene.