Asymmetric cyclization and microbial transformation for steroid synthesis⁺

Contributions to the areas of asymmetric cyclization and microbial transformation for steroid synthesis by the laboratory of Professor Wang, Kuang-Chao are reviewed. Three areas of interest are summarized, including the stereochemical requirements for amino acid catalyzed aldol type condensation (asymmetric cyclization) of steroid CD-rings, microbial transformation of cycloartenol, 24-methylenecycloartanol and lanosterol, and the use of microbial reduction in the total synthesis of estrogens.