2,4-Disubstituted-4b,5,6,7,8,8a,9,10-Octahydro-9-Oxo-Phenanthrenes

To a flask equipped with a stirrer, dropping funnel, condenser and gas inlet tube maintained under a nitrogen atmosphere, there is added 50 g. (0.89) moles of potassium hydroxide in one liter of 2-methoxyethanol. Stirring is initiated and 100 g. (0.79 mole) of anhydrous phloroglucinol is added in three portions, followed by the addition of 100 g. (0.80 mole) of 1-acetyl-cyclohexene while maintaining the temperature at 50.degree. C. The resulting solution is refluxed at 140.degree. C. for 4 hours. After cooling there is then added gradually 53.6 g. of acetic acid while obtaining a pH of approximately 7. The solvent is then removed in vacuo, and the residue is further heated in an oil bath at 70.degree. C., to obtain a viscous residue. The resulting residue is dissolved in ethyl acetate and water washed twice with water, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, filtered and evaporated in vacuo to obtain a brown solid. The resulting solid is recrystallized from ethyl acetate/cyclohexane to give 2,4-dihydroxy-4b,5,6,7,8,8a,9,10-octahydro-9-oxo-phenanthrene; m.p. 220.degree.-223.degree. C.

To a flask equipped with a stirrer, dropping funnel, condenser, and gas inlet tube maintained under a nitrogen atmosphere, there is added 23.2 g. (0.1 mole) of 2,4-dihydroxy-4b,5,6,7,8,8a,9,10-octahydro-9-oxo-phenanthrene, 20 g. (0.15 mole) of dimethyl sulfate, 22 g. (0.16 mole) of dry potassium carbonate and 500 ml. of dry acetone, the resulting mixture is then refluxed with stirring overnight. The resulting suspension is cooled, 5 ml. of water is added and stirring is continued for an additional 5 minutes. The mixture is filtered, and the filtrate is concentrated to dryness. The resulting residue is recrystallized from acetone/methanol to give 2,4-dimethoxy-4b,5,6,7,8,8a,9,10-octahydro-9-oxo-phenanthrene; m.p. 130.degree.-131.degree. C.