A 13C solid-state NMR analysis of steroid compounds.

(13)C CP/MAS solid-state NMR spectroscopy has been utilized to analyze six steroid compounds, namely testosterone (Tes), hydrocortisone (Cor), trans-dehydroandrosterone (Adr), prednisolone (Prd), prednisone (Pre) and estradiol (Est). Among them, Tes displays a doublet pattern for all residues, whereas Prd, Pre and Est, exhibit exclusively singlets. For Cor and Adr, the (13)C spectra contain both doublet and singlet patterns. The (13)C doublet signal, with splittings of 0.2-1.5 ppm, are ascribed to local differences in the ring conformations associated with polymorphism. We have assigned all of the (13)C resonances to the different residues in these steroid compounds on the basis of solution NMR data. The C-7, C-8, C-10, C-15 and C-16 residues of Tes, Cor and Adr consistently give rise to singlets or doublets with splittings of less than 0.5 ppm, indicating similar local conformations. Accompanying hydration and dehydration processes, a reversible phase transformation between delta- and alpha-crystal forms has been observed in Tes, corresponding to singlet and doublet (13)C patterns, respectively. To further characterize the ring conformations in the alpha-form, we have successfully extracted chemical shift tensor elements for the (13)C doublets. It is demonstrated that (13)C solid-state NMR spectroscopy provides a reliable and sensitive means of characterizing polymorphism in steroids.