ABSTRACT
Purpose: To diastereoselectively reduce estrone and monitor the progress of the reaction by TLC.
Stereoselective reductions are important reactions that provide access to stereo-enriched materials (Scheme 1.1). In order to achieve stereoselectivity, at least one of the reagents has to be stereopure. In this lab, estrone, a steroid, will be reduced with sodium borohydride. Ketones are readily reduced by mild hydride donors, such as sodium borohydride, to yield alcohols. As Scheme 1.2 shows, there are two ways a hydride can attack this ketone.
