Coupling of biologically active steroids to conjugating arms through ether linkages for use in immunochemistry

Conjugation of haptens through ether linkages avoids leakage problems in immunoassays, but this procedure is not easily applied to most steroids that bear low reacting hydroxyls. A new technique allowing the ether coupling of biologically active steroids with conjugating arms in mild conditions compatible with thermosensitive protecting groups is presented. In the first step, the solvent (an aromatic hydrocarbon) was dehydrated by azeotropic distillation in a soxhlet apparatus using a cartridge filled with 0.3 nm and 0.4 nm molecular sieves. In this protected medium, a thallium steroid alkoxide was completely formed by reaction of the steroid with thallium ethoxide and by the continuous elimination of ethanol. The halogenated chain was then introduced into the same medium and reacted in the absence of moisture to give the ether. 17beta-Hydroxy and 11alpha-hydroxy derivatives were involved in this reaction. The coupling was effective for all of the compounds tested after 2-36 h of reaction time and at temperatures between 80 and 140 degrees C. The conjugates were at least 95% pure, and yields ranged from 15 to 95%.