STRUCTURE OF 3,3'-DI(ETHYLENEDIOXY)-5,5'-DIHYDROXY-17-ALPHA,17-ALPHA-BIS(TRIMETHYLSILOXY)-11,11'-BI-[19-NOR-5-ALPHA-ANDROST-9(10)-ENE]-17-BETA,17-BETA-DICARBONITRILE MONOHYDRATE

3,3'-Di(ethylenedioxy)-5,5'-dihydroxy-17alpha,17alpha'-bis(trimethylsiloxy)-11,11'-bi[19-nor-5alpha-androst-9(10)-ene]-17,6,17,6'-dicarbonitrile monohydrate, C48H72N2O8Si2.H2O, M(r) = 879.3, orthorhombic, P2(1)2(1)2(1), a = 31.201 (12), b = 13.789 (6), c = 11.620 (5) angstrom, V = 4999.3 angstrom3, Z = 4, D(x) = 1.168 mg m-3, lambda(Cu Kalpha) = 1.5418 angstrom, mu = 1.05 mm-1, F(000) = 1904, T = 295 K, R(F) = 0.08 for 2961 reflexions. The structure consists of two steroid skeletons linked at beta by their C(11) atoms. The superposition of these steroids shows that they have very similar conformations. The above relatively high R value is probably the consequence of a continuous crystal degradation induced by the escape of a water molecule.