Patent GB-916996-A (GB)
Title: Synthesis of steroids
IPC: C07J71/00
Filed: 1959-07-21
Abstract: The invention comprises steroids of the general formula <FORM:0916996/IV (b)/1> wherein the 1- and 2-positions are saturated or linked by a double bond, R represents hydrogen and R1 represents b -hydroxy, or R and R1 together represent keto, X represents hydrogen, halogen, hydroxy, lower alkyl or lower alkoxy, X1 represents hydrogen or lower alkyl, Y represents hydrogen or methyl, Y1 represent halogen, Z represents hydrogen, hydroxy or acyloxy, and P and Q represent hydrogen, lower alkyl, halogenated lower alkyl, monocyclic cycloalkyl, monocyclic aryl, monocyclic aryl lower alkyl, monocyclic heterocyclic or monocyclic heterocyclic lower alkyl, or P and Q together with the carbon atom to which they are attached represent a cycloalkyl or monocyclic heterocyclic group, and the preparation thereof by reacting steroids of the general formula <FORM:0916996/IV (b)/2> wherein the 1- and 2-positions are saturated or linked by a double bond, Z1 represents hydrogen or hydroxy, and R, R1, X, X1, Y and Y1 have the above significance, with compounds of the general formula <FORM:0916996/IV (b)/3> wherein P and Q have the above significance, and, if desired, acylating the product at the 21-position with an acyl halide or an acid anhydride, and the preparation of steroids of the first general formula above wherein the 1- and 2-positions are saturated and P, Q, R, R1, X, X1, Y and Y1 have the above significance, by treating with a strong inorganic acid such as perchloric or hydrochloric acid-preferably in the presence of glacial acetic acid, steroids of the general formulae <FORM:0916996/IV (b)/4> <FORM:0916996/IV (b)/5> wherein P, Q, R, R1, X, X1, Y and Y1 have the above significance, and R11 represents -O-(lower alkylene)-O- or two lower alkoxy radicals.  The lower alkyl, lower alkoxy and lower alkylene radicals contain not more than 7 carbon atoms.  The Specification refers to a large number of reactants of the formula <FORM:0916996/IV (b)/6> wherein P and Q have the significance indicated above.  The D 1,4-pregnadienes of the first general formula above may also be prepared by dehydrogenating the corresponding D 4-pregnenes with microorganisms such as Nocardia aurantia. In the second process above, the steroid reactants containing the 5a hydroxy radical may be prepared by treating steroids of the general formula <FORM:0916996/IV (b)/7> wherein P, Q, R, R1, X, X1, Y and Z have the above significance, with a mono- or dihydric alcohol to form the corresponding 3-ketal-5-pregnenes (the ketal radical has the same significance as the symbol R11 above), treating the 5-pregnenes with a per-acid such as perbenzoic or peracetic acid, to form the corresponding 5a ,6a -oxido compounds, and treating the oxido compounds with a hydrogen halide or boron trifluoride to form steroids of the third general formula above, or with aqueous hydrogen halide to form steroids of the fourth general formula above.  16a ,17a -Dihydroxy-steroids of the second general formula above are prepared by subjecting the corresponding 16-desoxy-steroids to the oxygenating activity of suitable microorganisms such as Streptomyces roseochromogenus.