A Modified Synthesis of the Antiosteoporosis Drug Alfacalcidol via a Key Photochemical Transformation of la-5,6-trans-Vitamin D_3

摘要

Alfacalcidol (1α-hydroxyvitamin D3) is an important clinical drug for the treatment of osteoporosis. Its practical synthesis has been intensively pursued across academia. The difficulties of separating 5,6-cis and 5,6-trans isomers in the current process was avoided by photochemical transformation of the 5,6-trans isomer into the 5,6-cis isomer. Employing vitamin D3 as a starting material, alfacalcidol was obtained by a five-step reaction sequence of esterification, cyclization, oxidation, solvolysis ring-opening, and subsequent photochemical reaction. The overall yield has been greatly improved from 17% to 31%