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11-Nitrates of 9a,11b-dihydroxy derivatives of estrone, estradiol, and ethinylestradiol were synthesized by oxidative nitration of the corresponding estratriene 3-acetates with cerium ammonium nitrate. Three methods are given for this reaction. Compounds had high antifertility and estrogen activity. Antifertility actions were much greater than their estrogen activities, as compared with the similar levels seen with ethinylestradiol.

The fragmentation of [M+Na](+) ions produced from steroid 11beta-nitrates during electrospray/ionization (ESI) was studied by using ion trap MS/MS technique. The [M+Na](+) ions eliminate NO(2) and HNO(3) for epimers bearing 9beta and 9alpha substituents, respectively. As the main fragmentation pathways are determined mainly by the configuration at C-9 and alternative fragmentation does not practically occur, this offers the possibility for the determination of the configuration at chiral C-9 centre in the estrane 11beta-nitrate series by ESI mass spectrometry.

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