Nine new steroids, sclerosteroids A-1 (1, 5, 6, 8-13), along with 18 known metabolites (2-4, 7, 14-27), were isolated from the soft coral Scleronephthya gracillimum. These structures were elucidated on the basis of detailed spectroscopic analysis. The absolute configurations of sugar moieties in steroidal glycosides 10-13 were determined by HPLC analysis of the o-tolylthiocarbamate derivatives of the liberated sugars from hydrolysis of these steroidal giycosides. Cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory activities of these compounds were measured in vitro. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
A biocatalytic hydroxylation-enabled unified approach to C19-hydroxylated steroids
19-OH-androstenedione, which can serve as a basis for synthesis of C19-functionalized steroids as well as 19-norsteroidal drugs. Using this biocatalytic C19-hydroxylation method, the unified synthesis of six C19-hydroxylated pregnanes is achieved in just 4 to 9 steps. In addition, the structure of sclerosteroid B is revised on the basis of our synthesis.