An Overview of Partial Synthesis and Transformations of Secosteroids

Secosteroids are an important group of modified steroids, which exhibits a variety of different biological activities. Studies on secosteroids have shown that modifications of the rigid tetracyclic steroidal carbon skeleton by cleavage of the internal C-C bonds provides more flexible compounds with new biological properties. The search for steroid compounds analogs with improved biological properties includes ring transformation into seco system. The recent development in the partial syntheses of secosteroids is described herein, as well as studies of methods for modifications of such molecules.