First synthesis of 12-oxosoladulcidine and its derivatives as potential antitumor steroidal alkaloids.

The first synthesis of 12-oxosoladulcidine (= (3beta,5alpha,22alpha,25R)-3-hydroxyspirosolan-12-one; 4) is reported, and its structure was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Compound 4 was readily obtained in five steps in an overall yield of 31%, starting from hecogenin (5). By slightly modifying the synthetic protocol, eight analogues of 4 were also prepared. The title compound and its derivatives are expected to be potent antitumor alkaloids, since structurally closely related to the known antitumor agents soladulcidine (2) and hecogenin (5).