An efficient stereoselective synthesis of 6-alpha-aminoestradiol: preparation of estradiol fluorescent probes

Review of fluorescent steroidal ligands for the estrogen receptor 1995-2018

The development of fluorescent ligands for the estrogen receptor (ER) continues to be of interest. Over the past 20 years, most efforts have focused on appending an expanding variety of fluorophores to the B-, C- and D-rings of the steroidal scaffold. This review highlights the synthesis and evaluation of derivatives substituted primarily at the 6-, 7α- and 17α-positions, culminating with our recent work on 11β-substituted estradiols, and proposes an approach to new fluorescent imaging agents that retain high ER affinity.

Synthesis of a novel fluorescent probe for estrogen receptor

A novel estradiol-mimetic fluorescent probe 5 was synthesized from diethylstilbestrol (DES, 1), which is useful for probing estrogen receptor (ERalpha), a prognostic indicator of estrogen-dependent cancers, and for developing a homogeneous fluorescence polarization (FP) assay to identify the ligands of estrogen receptor.

Syntheses and characterizations of 4-(3,17beta-dihydroxyestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-6alpha- and 6beta-yl)amino-7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazoles as fluorescent probes

4-(3,17Beta-dihydroxyestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-6alpha- and 6beta-yl)amino-7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazoles have been synthesized and characterized as fluorescent probes for use in a receptor assay and/or a homogeneous immunoassay for estradiol. The fluorescence intensities are strongly dependent upon the solvent polarity used. The intensities in water were reduced to less than 1% of those in ethyl acetate, and a blue shift was also observed in polar solvents. The quenched fluorescence in aqueous solution was recovered by adding bovine serum albumin or an anti-estradiol antibody. Adding intact estradiol inhibited the fluorescence recovered by the antibody.

Evaluation of chemiluminescent estradiol conjugates by using a surface plasmon resonance detector

A series of chemiluminescent 17beta-estradiol probes were synthesized. Relative equilibrium dissociation constants (K(D)) for the interaction of an anti-E(2) Fab fragment for the probes in solution were evaluated using a single E(2)-analog biosensor surface on a BIAcore surface plasmon resonance instrument. The results show the antibody fragment binds all chemiluminescent conjugates tested with high affinity showing only minor preferences for site of substitution (C6 versus C7), stereochemistry (alpha versus beta), or linker moiety.

Estradiol-mimetic probes. Preparation of 17 alpha-(6-aminohexynyl)estradiol biotin, fluorescein and acridinium conjugates

3-O-tert-Butyldimethylsilyl-17 alpha-(6-mesyloxyhexynyl)estradiol was converted to the azide in 60-70% yield with NaN3/DMPU, then reduced to the corresponding amine (> 95% yield). Acylation with the N-hydroxysuccinimide esters of biotin, 5-carboxyfluorescein and 10-(3-sulfopropyl)-N-tosyl-N-(3- carboxypropyl)acridinium-9-carboxamide gave the title conjugates. The KDs of the tracers with an estradiol antibody ranged from 97-197 nM.

Synthesis of 6 beta-aminoestradiol and its biotin, acridinium, and fluorescein conjugates

Amination of 3,17 beta-Bis[(2-trimethylsilylethoxy) methoxy]-1,3,5(10)-estratriene-6-one (2) using NaCNBH4 and NH4OAc afforded 3,17-bis(SEM)-6-aminoestradiol (3) as a mixture of alpha and beta-isomers in 60:40 ratio. Hydrolysis of the mixture of 3 using HF and separation by preparative high-performance liquid chromatography afforded pure 6 beta-aminoestradiol (4) in good yield. The relative stereochemistry of the amino group in 4 was established by NMR. The biotinylated estradiol probe (7), chemiluminescent probe (9), and fluorescent probe (11), were prepared from 6 beta-aminoestradiol (4) and the corresponding biotin, 10-(3-sulfopropyl)-N-tosyl-N-(3-carboxypropyl)acridinium-9-carboxamide, and 5-carboxyfluorescein N-succinimidyl esters in 43-63% yields and > 99% purity.

A stereoselective synthesis of 7 alpha-(3-carboxypropyl) estradiol from a noncontrolled substance

Alkylation of 3,17 beta-bis(2-trimethylsilyl)ethoxymethyl-1,3,5(10) estratriene-6-one (2) with 5-bromo-1-pentene using NaHMDS in THF afforded 3,17 beta-bis(2-trimethylsilyl)ethoxymethyl-7-alpha-(4'pentenyl)-1,3,5(10) estratriene-6-one (3) in excellent stereoselectivity (> 95% epimeric excess). Functionalization of the side chain in compound 3 was accomplished via ozonolysis, oxidation and esterification to give 5 in 72% yield. The reduction of ester (5) using NaBH4 in MeOH afforded the corresponding 6 alpha-hydroxy compound (6) as a single isomer in 72% yield. The hydroxyl group in 6 was removed by converting to the corresponding xanthate (7) followed by reduction using n-Bu3SnH to afford 8 in good yield. Finally, the SEM protective groups in 8 were removed, after which the ester function was hydrolyzed with LiOH to give 7 alpha-(3'-carboxypropyl)estradiol (10), in 10.6% overall yield from 3.