Patent ES-355911-A1 (ES)
Title: 13beta-alkyl-9beta,10alpha-pregnanes
IPC: C07J75/00
Filed: 1968-07-09
Abstract: The invention comprises compounds of formula wherein R 1 is H or 1,2-methylene R 2 is an oxo group accompanied by #4, #1,4, #4'6 or #1,4,6 unsaturation, a hydroxy group accompanied by #4 or #4,6 unsaturation or an esterified or etherified hydroxyl group accompanied by #4, #4,6 or #3'5 unsaturation R 3 is H, halo or C 1-6 alkyl R 4 is H or 6,7-methylene R 5 is H or a free, esterified or etherified hydroxy group R 6 is -COCH 3 , -COCH 2 OH or -CH(OH)CH 3 or an etherified or esterified -COCH 2 OH or -CH(OH)CH 3 group and R 7 is a C 2-3 alkyl or alkenyl group. Compounds I are prepared: (1) by hydrolysis of corresponding 3,3 20,20-bisethylenedioxy- #5 compounds to give products with R 2 = 3-oxo- #4 and R 6 =COCH 3 (2) by 1,2-dehydrohalogenation of compounds of the above formula wherein R 1 is halo and R 2 is 3-oxo-#14 or 3-oxo- #4,6 (3) by Raney nickel dehalogenation of corresponding compounds bearing a 16-halogen atom (the latter compounds being obtained from #16-compounds by epoxidation followed by hydrohalogenation) (4) by catalytic hydrogenation of compounds of the above formula wherein R 2 is 3-oxo-#4, R3 is = CH 2 , = CCl 2 or = CBr 2 and R 4 is H to give the corresponding 6- methyl compounds (5) by oxidation of corresponding 17-ethylidene compounds to give products with R 5 = OH and R 6 = COCH 3 and (6) by reaction of corresponding 21-halo-20-oxo compounds (obtained from 21-unsubstituted- 20-oxo compounds by the successive actions of a dialkyl oxalate, a molecular halogen and an alkali metal alkoxide) with an alkali or alkaline earth metal carboxylate to yield 21-acyloxy-20- oxo products. Compounds I are interconverted (1) by chemical or microbial 1,2-dehydrogenation (2) by chemical 6,7-dihydrogenation (3) by oxidative conversion of a 3-(etherified hydroxy)- #3'5 compound to a 3-oxo-#4.6 compound (4) by enol-etherification or enol-esterification of a 3-oxo-#4-compound (5) by 6-halogenation of a 3-oxo-#4 compound or an enol ether or enol ester thereof (6) by esterification or esterification of 3, 17, 20 and 21 hydroxyl groups (7) by reacting a #1- or #6-compound with dimethylsulphoxonium methylide to give a 1,2-methylene or 6#,7#-methylene compound respectively (8) by reduction of 3 and 20 oxo groups to hydroxy groups (9) by oxidation of 3 and 20 hydroxy groups to oxo groups (10) by hydrolysis of esterified and etherified hydroxyl groups and (11) by chemical or microbial 21 -hydroxylation of 21-unsubstituted-20-oxo compounds. 3,3 20,20 - Bis(ethylenedioxy} - 18 - ethyl- 9#,10[alpha]-pregen-5-ene (L) is prepared from 9#,10[alpha]- preg-4-ene-3,20-dione (LI) by the sequence: LI-> 20 - cyano - 20 - hydroxy - 9#,10[alpha] - pregn- 4 - en - 3 - one -> 18 - cyano - 9#,10[alpha] - pregn-4- ene - 3,20 - dione ( + 17# - iodo - 9#,10[alpha] - androst- 4 - en - 3 - one as by-product)-> 3,3 20,20- bis(ethylenedioxy) 18 - cyano - 9#,10[alpha] - pregn - 5- ene ( + 20,20 - ethylenedioxy - 18 - cyano - 9#,10[alpha]- pregn-4-en-3-one as by-product)-> 3,3 20,20- bis(ethylenedioxy) - 18 - iminomethyl - 9#,10[alpha]- pregn-5-ene -> 3,3 20,20.bis(ethylenedioxy)- 18 - formyl - 9#10[alpha] - pregn - 5 - ene (LII)-> 3,3 20,20 - bis(ethylenedioxy) - 18 - vinyl - 9#,10[alpha]- preyn-5-ene -> L. 3,3 20,20 - Bis(ethylenedioxy) - 18 - methyl- 9#,10[alpha]-pregn-5-ene is prepared from LII. 6 - Dichloromethylene - 18 - methyl - 9#,10[alpha]- pregn-4-ene-3,20-dione is prepared from 3- ethoxy - 18 - methyl - 9#,10[alpha] - pregna - 3,5- dien - 20 - one via 6# - trichloromethyl - 18 - methyl - 9#,10[alpha] - pregn - 4 - ene -3,20-dione. 18 - Ethyl - 9#,10[alpha],17[alpha] - pregna - 4,6 - diene- 3,20-dione is obtained as a by-product in the preparation of the corresponding 9#,10[alpha],17#- compound by interconversion (2) above. 18 - Methyl - 9#,10[alpha] - pregna - 4,17(20) - dien- 3-one is prepared by dehydration of 18-methyl- 20-hydroxy-9#,10[alpha].pregn-4-en-3-one. Compounds of the above formula are stated to be progestational agents, and may be made up with carriers into pharmaceutical compositions for oral and parenteral administration.