Synthesis and biological activity of brassinolide and its 22 beta, 23 beta-isomer: novel plant growth-promoting steroids.

Brassinolide (2 alpha, 3 alpha, 22 alpha, 23 alpha-tetrahydroxy-24 alpha-methyl -B-homo-7-oxa-5 alpha-cholestan-6-one), a novel plant growth-promoting steroid isolated from rape pollen, and its hitherto unknown 22 beta, 23 beta-isomer were synthesized from a C-24 epimeric 60:40 mixture of 22-dehydroxampesterol (24 alpha-methyl) and brassicasterol (24 beta-methyl) from oysters. The method of synthesis favored the formation of the 22 beta, 23 beta-isomer by better than 4:1. Comparative plant growth-promoting capabilities of brassinolide, both natural and synthetic, and its three side chain cis-glycolic isomers in the bean second internode bioassay showed that the natural and synthetic brassinolides were equally active and caused splitting of the internode at the 0.1 microgram level. The least active was the 22 beta, 23 beta-isomer of brassinolide. The isomers with the 22 alpha, 23 alpha and 24 alpha, and the 22 beta, 23 beta and 24 beta configurations were highly active and were required at about 10 times the concentration of brassinolide to cause the same physiological response. In the bean first internode bioassay, an auxin-induced growth test system which employs isolated bean plant segments, the isomer with 22 beta, 23 beta and 24 beta configuration caused a greater response than brassinolide. Two of the four tetrahydroxy ketones obtained in the synthesis of the isomers were also active in both assays.

Synthesis of brassinosteroids and relationship of structure to plant growth-promoting effects.

A number of brassinosteroids with and without hydroxyl groups or an alkyl substituent in their side chain were synthesized. The alkyl substituent at C-24 highly influenced the oxidation of the C-22 double bond with osmium tetroxide and, hence the ratio of the 22 beta,23 beta- and 22 alpha,23 alpha-glycolic isomers obtained. Two different bean bioassays used to compare the plant growth-promoting capabilities of these compounds and of brassinolide and its three side chain 22,23-cis-glycolic isomers showed that brassinolide was the most active. The next most active brassinosteroids were generally those with 22 alpha-OH, 23 alpha-OH orientation and a beta-methyl or alpha-ethyl substituent at C-24. Similarly, of the synthetic precursor tetrahydroxy ketones of the brassinosteroids, those with 22 alpha-OH, 23 alpha-OH orientation (like brassinolide) and an alkyl group at C-24 were also the most active in both bioassays. The results indicate stringent structural features are required for a steroid to induce brassin activity. The structural requirements are: a trans A/B ring system (5alpha-hydrogen), a 6-ketone or a 7-oxa-6-ketone system in ring B, cis alpha-oriented hydroxyl groups at C-2 and C-3, cis hydroxy groups at C-22 and C-23 as well as a methyl or ethyl substituent at C-24.