Patent GB-997167-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to steroids and the manufacture thereof
IPC: C07J5/00
Filed: 1961-11-29
Abstract: The invention comprises compounds having the formulae <FORM:0997167/C2/1> <FORM:0997167/C2/2> <FORM:0997167/C2/3> <FORM:0997167/C2/4> <FORM:0997167/C2/5> <FORM:0997167/C2/6> <FORM:0997167/C2/7> <FORM:0997167/C2/8> wherein W is the carbonyl radical or the b -hydroxymethylene radical; X1 is hydroxy, O Acyl, the term Acyl representing the acyl radical of a hydrocarbon carboxylic acid containing 1-12 carbon atoms inclusive, fluorine, iodine, or the group OSO2R, wherein R is an alkyl or aryl radical containing up to and including 10 carbon atoms; Y is hydrogen or methyl; Y11 is hydrogen, a -methyl, b -methyl or a -hydroxy; X11 is hydroxy, O Acyl, the the term Acyl as defined above; R1 and R11 are hydrogen, a lower-alkyl radical, a monocyclic aromatic radical, a monocyclic aromatic lower alkyl radical, a monocyclic heterocyclic radical or a monocyclic heterocyclic lower alkyl radical or R1 and R11 when taken together are alkylene; R111 is hydrogen or the acyl radical of a hydrocarbon carboxylic acid containing 1-12 carbon atoms inclusive; R111 is O Acyl, the term Acyl as defined above, or the hydroxy radical or the oxygen atom = 0 of a carbonyl radical; and the dotted lines indicate the presence of a single or double-bond linkage in the 1,2- or 6, 7-positions, and processes for the preparation thereof by treating cortisone (I) (or the 2a -methyl, 16a -methyl and 16b -methyl derivatives thereof) with formaldehyde to obtain the corresponding 17,20; 20,21-bismethylenedioxy - 4 - pregnene - 3,11 - diones (II), enol acylating (II) with an alkenyl acetate to obtain a 17,20; 20, 21-bismethylenedioxy-3,5 - pregnadien - 11 - one 3 - acylate (III), reducing (III), e.g. with sodium borohydride, followed by reacylation, to obtain a 17,20; 20,21 - bismethylenedioxy - 5 - pregnene - 3b , 11b  - dihydroxy - 3 - acylate (IV), hydroxymethylating (IV) at 6-position with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a cobalt catalyst to produce a 17,20 ; 20,21-bismethylenedioxy - 6a  - hydroxymethyl - 5a -pregnane - 3b ,11b  - diol 3 - acylate (V), oxidizing (V), e.g. with a chromium trioxide/pyridine complex, to yield a 17,20; 20, 21-bismethylenedioxy - 6a  - formyl - 3b  - hydroxy -5a  - pregnan - 11 - one 3 - acylate (V1), reacting (V1) with sulphur tetrafluoride under substantially anhydrous conditions to yield a 17,20; 20,21 - bismethylenedioxy - 6a - difluoromethyl - 3b  - hydroxy - 5a  - pregnan - 11 - one-3-acylate (VI), reducing (VI), e.g. with LiAzH4, to form the corresponding 17,20; 20, 21-bismethylenedioxy - 6a  - difluoromethyl - 3b ,11b -dihydroxy - 5a  - pregnane (VI1), oxidizing (VI1) with an aluminium alkoxide in the presence of a ketone to form the corresponding 17,20 ; 20,21 - bismethylenedioxy - 6a  - difluoromethyl - 11b  - hydroxy - 5a  - pregnan - 3-one (VII), converting (VII) into 6a -difluoromethyl - 11b ,17a ,21 - trihydroxy - 4 - pregnene-3,20-dione (XII) by one of the following routes (a) dehydrogenating (VI, e.g. with selenium dioxide, to obtain 17,20; 20,21-bismethylenedioxy - 6a  - difluoromethyl - 11b  - hydroxy-1,4 - pregnadiene - 3 - one (VIII), hydrolysing (VIII), e.g. with formic acid, to obtain the corresponding 6a  - difluoromethyl - 11b ,17a ,21-trihydroxy - 1,4 - pregnadiene - 3,20 - dione (IX), hydrogenating (IX) microbiologically to obtain (XII), (b) halogenating (VII), followed by dehalogenation to obtain 17,20; 20,21 - bismethylenedioxy - 6a  - difluoromethyl-11b - hydroxy - 4 - pregnen - 3 - one (XI), and hydrolysing (XI) with formic acid to obtain (XII); the 21-acylates of (XII) may be dehydrogenated in 1,2-positions, e.g. by means of the microorganism Septomyxa to obtain (XII1), or in 6,7-positions by means of chloranil to obtain a 6 - difluoromethyl - 11b ,17a ,21 - trihydroxy - 4,6 - pregnadiene - 3,20 - dione 21 - acylate (XIII) which in turn may be dehydrogenated in 1,2-positions to obtain the corresponding 1,4,6-pregnatriene (X); the 11-hydroxy compounds (XII1), (IX1), (XIII) and (X) so obtained bearing an 11b -hydroxy group may be oxidized to the corresponding 11-keto compound using chromium trioxide.  Dehydration of 6a -difluoromethyl-11b ,17a , 21-trihydroxy - 4 - pregnene - 3,20 - dione 21 - acylates (XIV) or the corresponding 1-dehydro, 6-dehydro and 1,6-dehydro derivatives thereof by means of an N-haloamide in pyridine, followed by SO2 yields the corresponding 4,9(11)-pregnadienes (XVI).  6a  - Difluoromethyl-21-fluoro compounds are obtained by treating 6a  - difluoromethyl - 11b ,17a ,21 - trihydroxy - 4 - pregnene - 3,20 - dione (XVIII) or the corresponding 11-keto compounds with an organic sulphonyl halide to obtain the corresponding 21-sulphonate ester (XIX), treating (XIX) with sodium iodide in acetone solution to obtain the corresponding 21-iodo compounds (XXIII), and treating (XXIII) with silver fluoride, preferably in acetonitrile solution. Alternatively, the 21-sulphonate (XIX) can be treated directly with potassium fluoride in dimethyl sulphoxide to produce 6a -difluoromethyl-21-fluoro compounds together with 6a  - difluoromethyl - 17a ,21 - epoxy compounds (XXI). 21-Unsubstituted compounds (XXIV) are obtained by treating the 21-iodo compounds with a reducing agent, e.g. sodium thiosulphate. 16a ,17a -Acetal derivatives are obtained from 16a ,17a -dihydroxy steroids by treatment with an aldehyde or ketone in the presence of an acid catalyst, e.g. perchloric acid.  Specifications 874,213 and 997,168 are referred to.ALSO:Pharmaceutical compositions having anti-inflammatory, salt and water regulating, pituitary inhibiting, progestational and anti-anabolic activities and containing 6 a -difluoromethyl steroid compounds having the formul <FORM:0997167/A5-A6/1> (wherein W is the carbonyl radical or b -hydroxy-methylene radical, X1 is hydroxy, OAcyl the term acyl representing the acyl radical of a hydrocarbon carboxylic acid containing from 1-12 carbon atoms inclusive, fluorine, iodine or the group -OSO2R, wherein R is an alkyl or aryl radical containing up to and including 10 carbon atoms, X11 is hydroxy, OAcyl the term Acyl is as defined above, Y is hydrogen or methyl, Y11 is hydrogen, a -methyl, b -methyl or a -hydroxy, R1 and R11 are hydrogen, a lower alkyl radical, a monocyclic aromatic radical, a monocyclic aromatic lower alkyl radical, a monocyclic heterocyclic radical or a monocyclic heterocyclic lower alkyl radical or a monocyclic heterocyclic lower alkyl radical or R1 and R11 when taken together are alkylene and the dotted lines indicate the presence of a single or double bond carbon atom linkage in the 1,2- and 6,7-positions), with, if desired, antibiotics (e.g. the penicillins, neomycin, tetracyclin, chloramphenicol, novobiocin) and antifungal agents (e.g. griseofulvin), are administered topically or systemically as ointments, creams, lotions, sprays, tablets, suspensions or solutions.  Specifications 874,213 and 997,168 are referred to.