A series of keto steroids were reduced with sodium borohydride in the presence of cerium(III) chloride or samarium(III) iodide (Luche reduction). The ratios of axial and equatorial alcohols were determined by HPLC and the results were compared with those obtained by a standard sodium borohydride reduction. The best results were obtained with the 2-keto derivative 1, 7-keto derivatives 5 and 6, and
Analogs of pregnanolone (3 alpha-hydroxy-5 beta-pregnan-20-one), modified in position 17 were prepared. Compounds with 20-keto pregnane side chain replaced completely by azide (17 alpha- and 17 beta-azido-5 beta-androstan-3 alpha-ol), compounds with its part replaced (20-azido-21-nor-5 beta-pregnan-3 alpha-ol), and compounds with keto group only replaced ((20R)- and (20S)-20-azido-5 beta-pregnan-3 alpha-ol) were synthesized using tosylate displacements with sodium azide or Mitsunobu reaction with azoimide. All five azido steroids were converted into corresponding sulfates. Subsequent tests for inhibition of glutamate induced response on NMDA receptors revealed that modification of pregnanolone sulfate side chain with azide did not disturb the activity and some of sulfates tested were more active than parent compound. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.