STEROIDS OF THE PREGNANE SERIES SUBSTITUTED IN THE 17- POSITION, AND THEIR MANUFACTURE AND USE

摘要

The present invention provides a microbiological process for the manufacture of 11.beta.-hydroxy-steroids of the pregnane series substituted in the 17.alpha.-position by an acetal group of the formula in which R1 represents an alkyl group containing 1 to 8 carbon atoms which may be interrupted by an oxygen atom or represents a benzyl group and R2 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, by fermenting a corresponding 11-desoxy-steroid with a culture of an 11.beta.-hydroxylating microorganism, especially a fungal culture of a strain of the genus Curvularia, and the use of some of the 11.beta.-hydroxy-steroids for the production of corresponding 11.beta.,17.alpha.-dihydroxy-steroids.