Allylic oxidation of steroidal olefins by vanadyl acetylacetonate and tert-butyl hydroperoxide

• New oxidation method for steroids.
• Oxidation without protecting functional groups.
• Oxidation of various steroids.
• Lots of supporting information.

Readily available vanadyl acetylacetonate was found to oxidize the allylic sites of Δ5 steroidal alcohols without protection of hydroxyl groups. Cholesterol, dehydroepiandrosterone, cholesterol benzoate, cholesterol acetate, pregnenolone, and 5-pregnen-3,20-diene were oxidized to 7-keto products using vanadyl acetylacetonate in one pot reactions at room temperature in the presence of oxygen and water.

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