A facile one-step synthesis of delta 1,4-3-keto bile acid esters by iodoxybenzene and benzeneselenic anhydride.

A facile one-step conversion of stereoisomeric methyl 3-hydroxycholanoates to 1,4-dien-3-one, by treatment in boiling toluene with iodoxybenzene catalyzed by benzeneselenic anhydride, is described. The direct oxidation-dehydrogenation at C-3 is applicable to other cholanoates (hyodeoxycholic, chenodeoxycholic, ursodeoxycholic, deoxycholic, and cholic) when the hydroxyl groups at C-6, C-7, or C-12 are protected. Without protection at C-6 and C-7, the products from hyodeoxycholic, chenodeoxycholic, ursodeoxycholic, and cholic esters are complex mixtures, whereas, methyl deoxycholate yields the 1,4-dien-3,12-dione cleanly.