Analysis of steroids. Part XXIV. A specific method for the spectrophotometric determination of 17-ethynyl steroids

Abstract

The investigation of the equilibrium between 17-keto steroids, acetylene and 17-ethynyl steroids has afforded two possibilities for its analytical application. On the one hand, the 17-ethynyl steroids can be quantitatively converted into 17-keto steroids and the latter determined spectrophotometrically as their 16-glyoxalyl derivatives (λ_max.= 294 nm, ε= 10 700 and σ= 1·1 per cent.). On the other hand, at 0 °C the 17-keto steroid contaminants in 17-ethynyl steroids can be selectively determined on the same principle.

These methods cannot be applied in the investigation of 3-keto steroids.