New Approach to 3-Oxo-4-Aza-5α-Androst-1-Ene-17β-(N-Tert-Butylcarboxamide)

The document described a new, more efficient method for synthesizing finasteride, a drug used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia, hair loss, and prevent prostate cancer. The traditional synthesis methods were complex, involving many steps and the use of expensive or toxic reagents, with an overall yield of less than 16%. The new approach utilized the Ritter reaction to introduce 17β-(N-tert-butylcarboxamide) and achieved an 18.6% overall yield from 4-androste-ene-3,17-dione in seven steps. This method was more convenient and yielded higher results compared to previous methods.