Iron(III)picolinate-induced oxygenation and subsequent rearrangement of triterpenoid derivatives with hydrogen peroxide.

The reaction of oleanane triterpenoid 1b with a FeIII(PA; picolinate)3/H2O2/MeCN system (reagent system A), a simple model system for mono-oxygenase, gave the 11 alpha-hydroxyl derivative 3 as major product, along with 11-oxo derivative 4 and 12-oxo derivative 6. The reaction of lupane triterpenoid 2b with reagent system A gave only oxidative rearrangement compounds, (20R)-aldehyde 8 and (20S)-aldehyde 9 were epimeric isomers. Then, we have found that iron(III) picolinate complex, FeIII(PA)3 is efficient in effecting the rearrangement of triterpenoid epoxides 5 and 7 into the corresponding carbonyl compounds, 6, 8 and 9 with 1,2-shift of the hydride.