Synthesis of EPI Testosterone Glucuronide

Natural testosterone and numerous synthetic analogs are known to stimulate biosynthesis ofproteins and are used as therapeutic agents. Most of them are DEA controlled substances. Improper usemay cause health risks. Steroid abuse is a widespread problem. There is a practical need to screen forabused steroids. Testosterone glucuronide and epitestosterone glucuronide may be used in the area ofdrug screening to establish a protocol which will be simpler, faster and more reliable than the presentmethod which requires an enzymatic hydrolysis step. This project will explore the chemical synthesisof epitestosterone glucuronide. The synthesis will include a.) preparation of the proper protectedglucuronic acids; b.) coupling reaction between epitestosterone and protected glucuronic acids; and c.)conversion of coupling compounds into epitestosterone glucuronide. The success of this research willprovide a new commercial product for forensic chemistry and lead to the establishment of a new testingmethod which will have obvious advantages over the present method. The knowledge which is gainedfrom the execution of this research will be useful for the synthesis of other steroid glucuronides.