Gitoxigenin is a related compound of Digitoxigenin, which has been used in a study to assess its stereochemical effects in cancer cytotoxicity. Digitoxigenin has also been used in a study to investigate the advantage of gold(I)-catalyzed glycosidation of glycosyl o-alkyl benzoates to assemble digitoxin.
Purification Methods
Recrystallisation of gitoxigenin from aqueous EtOH produces plates of the sesquihydrate which dehydrate on drying at 100o in vacuo. It also recrystallises from Me2CO/MeOH and from EtOAc (the crystals contain 1 mol of EtOAc) with [] D +24.8o (c 1, dioxane). It has UV with max at 310, 485 and 520nm in 96% H2SO4. On heating with ethanolic HCl it yields digitaligenin with loss of H2O. [Smith J Chem Soc 23 1931, Beilstein 8 IV 2456.]
