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Diethylstilbestrol is a derivative of stilbene, and it differs from sin-estrol by the presence of a double bond with trans-configuration of the two phenyl groups. In terms of estrogenic activity, this drug surpasses both estrone and hexestrol.

White solid

ChEBI: Diethylstilbestrol is an olefinic compound that is trans-hex-3-ene in which the hydrogens at positions 3 and 4 have been replaced by p-hydroxyphenyl groups. It has a role as an antineoplastic agent, a carcinogenic agent, a xenoestrogen, an EC 3.6.3.10 (H(+)/K(+)-exchanging ATPase) inhibitor, an antifungal agent, an endocrine disruptor, an EC 1.1.1.146 (11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase) inhibitor, an autophagy inducer and a calcium channel blocker. It is a polyphenol and an olefinic compound.

Diethylstilbestrol, trans-|á,|?-diethyl-4,4
-stilbendiol (28.1.34), is proposed to be synthesized in various ways. According to one of them, desoxyansoine is alkylated by ethyl iodide in the presence of sodium ethoxide, and the resulting ketone (28.1.30) is reacted in a Grignard reaction with ethylmagnesium bromide, which forms the carbinol (28.1.31). Dehydration of this compound by distillation in the presence of p-toluenesulfonic acid gives dimethyl ether of stilbestrol (28.1.32), methyl groups of which are removed by heating it at high temperatures with potassium hydroxide, thus forming diethylstilbestrol (28.1.33).