18,21-Anhydroaldosterone and derivatives.

18,21-Anhydroaldosterone 8, 18,21-anhydro-19-noraldosterone 9, and 3 alpha, 5 beta-tetrahydro-18,21-anhydro-19-noraldosterone 13, which may be present in acid-processed urine, were prepared by cleaving their 20-ketal derivatives 2, 3, and 12 with hot mineral acid. Compounds 8 and 9 were also made by direct dehydration of aldosterone 5 and 19-noraldosterone 10 in good yield. The reverse ring opening of 8 to 5 could be carried out in moderate yield with an acetic acid-acetic anhydride-perchloric acid mixture, while an analogous ring opening of 9 gave only a poor yield of 10.