NMR study of conformation and configuration in C‐20‐substituted 5β,14β‐pregnanes, 5β‐pregn‐14‐enes and 21‐nor‐5β,14β‐pregnanes

Coupling constants and nuclear Overhauser effect measurements were used to establish the C‐20 configuration and the conformation about the C‐17C‐20 bond in a series of sixteen C‐20‐substituted 5β,14β‐pregn‐14‐enes. In the 14β‐pregnane series the conformation of the C‐17 side‐chain is variable, whereas in the pregnenes the side‐chain adopts a conformation in which H‐17 is anti to H‐20. The C‐17 side‐chain conformation of two 21‐nor‐5β,14β‐pregnanes was also determined. In the 21‐nor compounds a C‐20 hydroxyl adopts a conformation anti to H‐17, while a C‐20 nitro group is anti to C‐13.