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Several heterosteroids containing a dihydroethisterone skeleton were prepared and shown to displace substance P in a receptor binding assay. Further biochemical (kinetic and Scatchard analyses) and pharmacological evaluation (substance P-induced plasma extravasation and salivation in the rat) of a representative example in this series (5a) established that these compounds are competitive antagonists at the substance P receptor.

Diethoxymethane (DEM) has recently become available in commercial quantities. It has unique properties and is useful in a variety of applications in organic synthesis. It is low boiling (88 °C), azeotropes with water, and has a very low affinity for water. It is stable under basic conditions and as manufactured does not require drying for use as a solvent, even for organometallic reactions. DEM is useful as a process solvent especially for sodium hydride reactions, organolithium chemistry, copper-catalyzed conjugate additions, and phase-transfer reactions. As such, DEM is a potential replacement for tetrahydrofuran (THF), dichloromethane (CH2Cl2), glyme (1,2-dimethoxyethane), and methylal (1,1-dimethoxymethane). DEM is also useful as an ethoxymethylating agent, a formaldehyde equivalent, and a carbonylation substrate. Due to these unique properties and applications, DEM has exciting potential for widespread use both as a reagent and especially as a preferred solvent.