Synthesis of Deuterium-Labeled Steroid 3,6-Diols

A facile synthesis of a set of deuterium-labeled steroid 3,6-diols with different steroid A/B ring fusion, unsaturations, and configurations of hydroxyl groups at C-3 and C-6 is described. Reduction and deuteration, based on deuterium-exchange of the obtained the cholest-4-ene-3,6-dione from cholesterol using sodium borodeuteride and deuterium water, were used. The obtained steroid diols are intended to be used as precursors in the studies on biosynthesis of some marine polar steroids.