PREPARATION OF [3-BETA-H-3] LABELED BILE-ACIDS AND BILE ALCOHOLS

[3β-3H]-bile acids and bile alcohols may be useful for metabolic studies in man and animals because the 3-position is invulnerable to bacterial attack. A number of tritium labeled bile acids and bile alcohols were prepared by selective oxidation of the hydroxyl group at carbon-3 followed by reduction with NaBT4. In each case, the bile acids and bile alcohols epimeric at carbon-3 were resolved by analytical and preparative thin-layer chromatography and characterized by gasliquid chromatography. The average yield was 60-65% and specific activities of the final products were in the range of 7.4 × 107 dpm/mg. © 1979.