Abstract
Girard and Sandulesco1 developed a method now known as the ‘Girard reaction’ for the isolation of small amounts of ketosteroids such as the sex hormones from natural products. Aldehydes and ketones in the mixture are converted into water-soluble hydrazone derivatives by treatment with the ‘Girard P’ or ‘T’ reagent, and the non-carbonyl compounds are removed by extraction with a non-polar solvent like ether. The ketone complexes are rapidly decomposed with mineral acid; but the aldehyde derivatives are claimed to be stable except in the presence of a large excess of acid and formaldehyde.
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References
Girard, A., and Sandulesco, G., Helv. Chim. Acta 19, 1095 (1936).
Lederer, E., and Nachmias, G., Bull. Soc. chim. France, 400 (1949).
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FORSS, D., DUNSTONE, E. The Girard Reaction. Nature 173, 401–402 (1954). https://doi.org/10.1038/173401b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/173401b0
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