Patent ID: 6384250
Filing Date: 2002-05-07
Classification: C07J

Abstract:
A process for the preparation of a compound of general formula (I) in which:n=1-3; R1 and R2, which may be the same or different, are hydrogen or C1-C6 alkyl or together form a 5 or 6 member saturated heterocycle, optionally containing a second heteroatom selected from the group consisting of oxygen, sulfur or nitrogen, said process comprising the steps of:(a) introducing a hydroxyl group in position 6&agr; of the steroid skeleton and at the same time reducing the ketone function in position 17 thereby obtaining a compound of the formula: from dehydroepi-androsterone;(b) oxidating simultaneously the three hydroxyl groups present in the compound of step (a) to produce a compound of the formula: and thereafter(c) selectively oximating the ketone group in position 3 of the compound of step (b) with hydroxylamine, optionally in salified form, with a compound of general formula (II) in which n=1-3 and R1 and R2 are as defined above.