Steroidal .alpha.-methylene .delta.-lactones as potential antitumor agents

Abstract
Four novel steroidal .alpha.-methylene .delta.-lactones were synthesized and are active against human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (KB) cells in culture. The syntheses involved the use of known .alpha.-methylenation procedures. A lactone was directly methylenated by reaction with CH2O/KOH or Et2NH/CH2O/Et2NH .cntdot. HCl. The formation of a cysteine adduct with the .alpha.-methylene lactone is reported.