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NOMENCLATURE OF
STEROIDS
By: Shruti Mistry
Student of BPharm sem-5
SSSPC, Zundal
INTRODUCTION
■ Steroids are a unique class of chemical compounds
found widely in the animal and plant kingdom.
■ They are biologically active organic compound with four
rings arranged in a specific molecular configuration.
■ They both occur naturally and man-made versions.
NOMENCLATURE OF STEROIDS
■ Steroids are characterized by the presence of
cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene nucleus in their structure
OR it is also known as “Gonane” ring..
■ The core structure is composed of 17 C-atoms,
bonded in 4 fused rings:
1. Three 6-membered cyclohexane rings,
i.e. Phenanthrene ring (A,B,C)
2. One 5-membered cyclopentane ring (D)
■ Almost all steroids are derivatives having 17 to 27 C-atoms in their
structure.
■ There are mostly 5 types of rings in steroids:
1. Gonane: structure with 17 C-atoms
2. Estrane: structure with 18 C-atoms
3. Androstane: structure with 19 C-atoms
4. Pregnane: structure with 21 C-atoms
5. Cholestane: structure with 27 C-atoms
β configuration:
■ Substituent attached to the ring system from above the plane are designated as β
configuration.
■ They are denoted by a solid line.
α configuration:
■ Substituent attached to the ring system from below
the plane are designated as α configuration.
■ They are denoted by a broken or dotted line.
Unknown configuration:
■ If the configuration of the substituent is not known its bond to the nucleus is
represented by a wavy line.
■ In case of presence of double bond present in the 6-membered ring, it will be
indicated by the symbol “∆” or the least number of presence of double bond, eg: 3-
ene, 4-ene.
■ Apart from the 17C ring, there is presence of methyl groups at position 10, 13 and
alkyl side chain at position 17.
■ There is substitution of oxygen containing functional groups (mainly –OH and C=0)
at position 3, 11, 17, 20, 21.
■ If there is contraction of ring of a steroid, this is indicated by the prefix NOR
preceded by a capital letter indicating the ring affected.
■ If there is enlargement of the ring of a steroid, this is indicated by the prefix HOMO
preceded by a capital letter indicating the ring affected.
A- NOR
B-HOMO 5 β pregnane
IUPAC Nomenclature
■ The naming begins with –OH group present on the steroidal moiety above or
below the plane, eg: 17β- hydroxy.
■ It is followed by the name of core ring, eg: Androstane
■ If the ring consists of double bonds, the least number of C-atom having double
bond is written after the name of core ring, eg: 3-ene
■ At last, it is concluded by the ketone group present on the steroidal ring, eg: 3-
one.
■ Example: Testosterone
IUPAC name: 17β-hydroxyandrost-4-en-3-one
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