7α-alkylation and 7,7-bis-alkylation of 20-hydroxyecdysone with propargyl bromide in a lithium-ammonia solution and catalytic reductive spirocyclization of 7,7-bis(2-propyn-1-yl)-14-deoxy-Δ(8(14))-20-hydroxyecdysone.

7α-Alkylation and 7,7-bis-alkylation of 20-hydroxyecdysone with propargyl bromide in a lithium-ammonia solution resulted in the formation of 7α-(2-propyn-1-yl)- and 7,7-bis(2-propyn-1-yl)-14-deoxy-Δ(8(14))-20-hydroxyecdysone in 92% and 75% yield respectively. Upon catalytic hydrogenation (10% Pd-C) of 7,7-bis(2-propyn-1-yl) derivative spirocyclization occurs by geminal 2-propyn-1-yl groups.

Stereospecific 7α-alkylation of 20-hydroxyecdysone in a lithium-ammonia solution.

The reaction of 20-hydroxyecdysone with methyl or ethyl iodide or allyl bromide in a lithium-ammonia solution results in stereospecific 7α-alkylation to give 7α-methyl-, 7α-ethyl-, and 7α-allyl-14-deoxy-Δ(8(14))-20-hydroxyecdysones, respectively. By catalytic hydrogenation (Pd-C/MeOH), the 7α-allyl derivative was converted to 7α-n-propyl-14-deoxy-Δ(8(14))-20-hydroxyecdysone.

Synthesis of 7,8α-dihydro-14α-deoxyecdysteroids.

A Pd-C-catalyzed hydrogenation in methanol and in the presence of sodium methylate is a simple, convenient and high yielding reduction method to convert the 7,14-dien-6-one ecdysteroids to their corresponding 7,8α-dihydro-14α-deoxyecdysteroids.