PROCESS FOR PRODUCING 17BU-OXALYL-STEROIDS

摘要

20-Cyano-17 alpha -H steroids having as the 17-position substituent the group COOR ¦ CHCN ¦ wherein R is H, alkyl of 1-8 carbon atoms or benzyl, having a 13-methyl or 13-ethyl group and which are unsubstituted or substituted with an alpha -methyl group in the 16-position are converted to the corresponding 20-keto steroids by reaction in an aprotic solvent with a deprotonating agent containing an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, copper(I) or thallium(I), and optionally additionally with a copper(I) salt or a thallium(I) salt or a silver(I) salt, and thereafter conducting an oxidative splitting reaction with oxygen. The thus-produced 17 beta -oxalyl steroids possess pharmacological activity, e.g., anti-inflammatory activity, or are useful as intermediates for the production of pharmacologically active steroids.