Synthetic Analogues of the Adrenal Cortical Hormones

Abstract

THE problem of synthetic molecules likely to possess physiological properties similar to the adrenal cortical hormones is being investigated in these laboratories. A number of such compounds have been prepared and examined, five of which have emerged showing significant activity. These compounds are indan-1-hydroxymethylketone (I), its fully saturated hexahydro analogue of unknown stereochemical orientation (probably cis) (II), 5-phenylindan-1-hydroxymethylketone (III: R = H, OCH₃) and p-acetoxy-p′-(W-hydroxy)acetonyldiphenyl (IV). These materials were synthesized from the corresponding carboxylic acids by the method of Steiger and Reichstein¹.