A novel scalable and stereospecific synthesis of 3α- and 3β-amino-5α-androstan-17-ones and 3α- and 3β-amino-5α-pregnan-20-ones

A novel scalable stereoselective synthesis of 3α- and 3β-amino-5α-androstan-17-ones and 3α- and 3β-amino-5α-pregnan-20-ones has been developed using phthalimide based Mitsunobu chemistry. In all four cases, the products were isolated as single diastereoisomers in high chemical yield and purity without the need for chromatography at any stage in their syntheses.