10.beta.,11.beta.-bridged steroids

A 10.beta.,11.beta.-bridged steroid of the Formula ##STR18## wherein R.sup.1 is H or methyl;

• R.sup.2 is H;
• cyano;
• an aliphatic group of up to 20 carbon atoms;
• an aliphatic group of up to 20 carbon atoms substituted by oxo;
• a C.sub.4-7 cycloalkyl or C.sub.4-7 cycloalkenyl group;
• an OR.sup.3 --, SR.sup.3 --, --OSO.sub.2 --R.sup.11, or NR.sup.3 R.sup.4 -group;
• or a 4-cyano-, 4-methoxy- or 4-dimethylamino-substituted phenyl group;
• R.sup.3 is H or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -alkyl residue,
• R.sup.4 is an R.sup.3 group, cyano or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 -alkanoyl residue, or
• R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 jointly with the inclusion of N is a 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic ring wherein the ring can additionally contain a further heteroatom N, O, or S;
• R.sup.11 is a perfluorinated C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl group;
• A and B either jointly are a further bond between C4 and C5, or A is an .alpha.-hydroxy group and B is H;
• X is a keto or oxime group;
• and
• Z is a pentagonal or hexagonal ring residue of the formula ##STR19## wherein R.sup.1 is H or methyl;
• ---- is a single or double bond;
• V is --CH.sub.2 --, --CH.dbd., --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 --, or --CH.sub.2 --CH.dbd.;
• and
• R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 are, respectively,
• --OR.sup.7 and --C.dbd.C--U,
• --OR.sup.7 and ##STR20## wherein E is halogen, ##STR21## wherein R.sup.7 is hydrogen or an alkanoyl residue of 1-4 carbon atoms,
• U is hydrogen or an alkyl, hydroxy-alkyl, alkoxyalkyl, or alkanoyl-oxyalkyl group, each of 1-4 carbon atoms in each alkyl portion and alkanoyl portion;
• R.sup.8 is hydrogen, hydroxy, or an alkyl, O-alkyl, or O-alkanoyl group, each of 1-4 carbon atoms;
• R.sup.9 is hydrogen, hydroxy, or cyano or an O-alkyl or O-alkanoyl group of 1-4 carbon atoms;
• R.sup.10 is hydrogen or an alkyl or alkanoyl group of 1-10 carbon atoms;
• m is 0, 1, 2, or 3;
• and
• k is 0, 1, or 2;
• or a pharmacologically compatible acid addition salt thereof.

A process for the production of compounds of Formula I ##STR24## wherein the substituents R.sup.1, R.sup.2, X, A, B, and Z have the meanings indicated in Formula I, comprising cyclicizing compounds of Formula II ##STR25## wherein R.sup.1a and R.sup.2a have the same meanings as R.sup.1 and R.sup.2, respectively, in Formula I, except that OSO.sub.2 --R.sup.11, as well as n, K, and W have the meanings indicated in Formula I wherein any hydroxy, mercapto, amino, oxo, and/or terminal acetylene groups that may be presented are blocked, to the intermediate products of Formula IIIa ##STR26## wherein R.sup.1b, R.sup.2b, K.sup.a, and n.sup.a have the same meanings as in Formula II,

• and then, first, either
• (a) optionally, oxidizing the C-17 hydroxy group and subsequently,
• (b) if desired, freeing a hydroxy group on the phenylene ring, which exhibits a blocking group, of that blocking group;
• producing a corresponding perfluoroalkyl sulfonate, if desired, from the hydroxy compound;
• optionally, converting the perfluoroalkyl sulfonate, with a correspondingly substituted trialkyltin compound, into a compound which, optionally after further reactions, exhibits on the phenylene ring the desired substitution pattern,
• (c) functionalizing the D ring in the desired way according to conventional methods, subjecting the thus-obtained product, with formation of the 4(5)-double bond, to the effect of a dehydrating agent which is also capable of liberating the 3-oxo group and optionally further blocked groups, or
• (d) subjecting the thus-obtained product, with the formation of the 4(5)-double bond, to the effect of a dehydrating agent also capable of liberating the 3-oxo group and optionally further blocked groups and, subsequently, after blockage of the 3-oxo group, functionalizing the D-ring in the desired way, or
• the steps of (a) and (b) or (a) are executed after step (c) or (d),
• optionally freeing the thus-obtained product of blocking groups;
• if desired, alkylating or acylating the hydroxy, mercapto, and/or amino group that may be present on the phenylene ring;
• if desired, introducing a cyano residue into the phenylene ring and, optionally, reacting the thus-produced product with hydroxylamine hydrochloride to the compound of Formula I wherein X means the hydroxyamino group N OH;
• or
• producing a pharmaceutically acceptable acid additional salt thereof.