PROCESS FOR PRODUCING DROSPIRENONE (6BETA,7BETA;15BETA,16BETA- -DIMETHYLENE-3-OXO-17'ALPHA'-PREGN-4-EN-21,17-CARBOLACTONE), AS WELL AS 7'ALPHA'-(3-HYDROXY-1-PROPYL)-6BETA,7BETA;15BETA,16BETA- -DIMETHYLENE-5BETA-ANDROSTANE-3BETA,5,17BETA-TRIOL AND 6BETA,7BETA;15BETA,16BETA-DIMETHYLENE-5BETA-HYDROXY-5-OXO- -17'ALPHA'-ANDROSTANE-21,17-CARBOLACTONE

摘要

Production of drospirenone (6beta ,7beta ;15beta ,16beta -dimethylene-3-oxo-17alpha -pregn-4-ene-21,17-carbolactone) of formula (I) comprises catalytically hydrogenating 17alpha -(3-hydroxy-1-propynyl)-6beta ,7beta ;15beta ,16beta -dimethylene-5beta -androstane-3beta ,5,17beta -triol of formula (II) to give 17alpha -(3-hydroxypropyl)-6beta ,7beta ;15beta ,16beta -dimethylene-5beta -androstane-3beta ,5,17beta -triol of formula (III), oxidising (III) in the presence of a ruthenium salt to give 6beta ,7beta ;15beta ,16beta -dimethylene-5beta -hydroxy-3-oxo-17alpha -pregnane-21,17-carbolactone of formula (IV), and dehydrating (IV): Also claimed are intermediates (III) and (IV).