AY 9944

• CAT Number: R009397
• CAS Number: 366-93-8
• Molecular Formula: C22H30Cl4N2
• Molecular Weight: 464.30
• Purity: ≥95%
• Synonyms: N-[(2-chlorophenyl)methyl]-1-[4-[[(2-chlorophenyl)methylamino]methyl]cyclohexyl]methanamine;dihydrochloride
• InChI: InChI=1S/C22H28Cl2N2.2ClH/c23-21-7-3-1-5-19(21)15-25-13-17-9-11-18(12-10-17)14-26-16-20-6-2-4-8-22(20)24;;/h1-8,17-18,25-26H,9-16H2;2*1H
• InChIKey: NRVIEWRSGDDWHP-UHFFFAOYSA-N
• SMILES: C1CC(CCC1CNCC2=CC=CC=C2Cl)CNCC3=CC=CC=C3Cl.Cl.Cl

AY 9944(CAT: R009397) is a potent, selective inhibitor of 7-dehydrocholesterol Δ7-reductase (DHCR7), an essential enzyme in the final steps of cholesterol biosynthesis. With an IC₅₀ of 13 nM, it effectively blocks the conversion of 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) to cholesterol, leading to pronounced hypocholesterolemia and accumulation of 7-DHC. At higher concentrations, AY 9944 also inhibits sterol Δ7–Δ8 isomerase in cultured embryos, resulting in the buildup of cholest-8-en-3β-ol. Due to its strong, targeted action on sterol metabolism, AY 9944 is widely used in biochemical and developmental studies modeling disorders such as Smith–Lemli–Opitz syndrome and investigating cholesterol’s role in physiology.