Design and Synthesis of Fluoro Analogues of Vitamin D.

The discovery of a large variety of functions of vitamin D and its metabolites has led to the design and synthesis of a vast amount of vitamin D analogues in order to increase the potency and reduce toxicity. The introduction of highly electronegative fluorine atom(s) into vitamin D skeletons alters their physical and chemical properties. To date, many fluorinated vitamin D analogues have been designed and synthesized. This review summarizes the molecular structures of fluoro-containing vitamin D analogues and their synthetic methodologies.