Patent ID: 7449572

Claim:
A process for preparing compounds of formula (I): wherein R 1 and R 2 , which may be identical or different, represent a benzyl group or a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl radical containing from 1 to 8 carbon atoms; or R 1 and R 2 , taken together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form a saturated or unsaturated, aromatic or nonaromatic 5- or 6-membered heterocycle optionally containing from 1 to 3 additional heteroatoms and optionally fused with another ring; X is halogen; R 3 is hydrogen or a hydroxyl function-protecting group; n is an integer from 2 to 8, comprising the steps of: a) subjecting a compound of formula (II): wherein ═K is a protected keto functional group selected from ketal, thioketal or a mixed ketal, to the action of an agent for reducing the keto in the 17-position in order to obtain a compound of formula (III): b) treating the compound of formula (III) with a halogenating agent in order to obtain a compound of formula (IV): wherein X is halogen; c) subjecting the compound of formula (IV) to the action of an epoxidation reagent in order to obtain the compound of formula (V): d) subjecting the compound of formula (V) to an alkylation reaction with an organocuprate derivative derived from an organometallic compound of formula R 5 MgHal or R 5 Li, Hal being a halogen atom, and generated catalytically or stoichiometrically, wherein R 5 is: wherein n, R 1 and R 2 are as defined above, the bonding taking place at the level of the phenyl, and then to the action of a deprotecting agent in order to obtain the compound of formula (VI): e) treating the compound of formula (VI) with an aromatization agent in order to obtain the compound of formula (I); f) deprotecting, optionally, the product obtained in stage e to obtain a compound of formula (I), wherein R 3 is hydrogen, and optionally, converting it into a pharmaceutically acceptable salt by subjecting it to a suitable salification and neutralization reaction.