1,2-beta-methylene-4-substituted androstene-3,17-dione derivatives and process for their preparation

Abstract

The invention relates to new aromatase inhibitor agents having the general formula (I) ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is hydrogen or a group=CHR.sub.3 wherein R.sub.3 is hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl; the symbol indicates the presence of a single or double bond in such a way that, when R.sub.1 is hydrogen, (a) is single bond and (b) is either single or double bond, while, when R.sub.1 is a group.dbd.CHR.sub.3 as defined above, (a) is double bond and (b) is single bond; R.sub.2 is hydrogen or fluorine; and R is (1) a group --OR.sub.4 wherein R.sub.4 is (a) hydrogen; (b) C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl; (c) a phenyl or benzyl group, each unsubstituted or ring-substituted by one or more substituents chosen from C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, halogen, trifluoromethyl, nitro, amino, hydroxy and C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy; (d) a group--COR.sub.5 wherein R.sub.5 is (i) a C.sub.1 -C.sub.22 saturated or C.sub.2 -C.sub.22 unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon radical; (ii) a C.sub.4 -C.sub.7 monocycloalkyl group; or (iii) a phenyl or benzyl group, each unsubstituted or ring substituted as reported above; or (e) a hydroxy protecting group; (2) a group--SR.sub.6 wherein R.sub.6 either has one of the meanings (a) to (d) indicated above for R.sub.4 or is a group --SR.sub.7 wherein R.sub.7 is (iv) C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl; (v) a phenyl or benzyl group, each unsubstituted or ring-substituted as reported above; or (vi) a steroidic residue of formula ##STR2## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, (a), (b) and the symbol are as defined above; (3) the group --N.sub.3 ; or (4) a group ##STR3## wherein each of R.sub.8 and R.sub.9, independently, is hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl, and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, which are useful in therapy, in particular, as anti-cancer agents.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.