6,7-modified 11.beta.-aryl-4-oestrenes

Compounds of the formula ##STR17## in which x represents an oxygen atom or the hydroxyimino grouping >N.about.OH,

• R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group,
• R.sup.2 represents a hydroxy group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 -alkoxy group or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 -acyloxy group,
• R.sup.3 represents a hydrogen atom;
• the grouping --(CH.sub.2).sub.n CH.sub.2 Z wherein n is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 and Z represents a hydrogen atom, a cyano group or the radical --OR.sup.5 in which R.sup.5 .dbd.H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 -alkyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 -alkanoyl;
• the grouping --(CH.sub.2).sub.m C.tbd.C--Y wherein m is 0, 1 or 2 and Y represents a hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine atom, or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 -hydroxyalkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 -alkoxyalkyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 -acyloxyalkyl radical;
• or the grouping --(CH.sub.2).sub.p --CH.tbd.CH--(CH.sub.2).sub.k CH.sub.2 R.sup.6 wherein p is 0 or 1 and k is 0, 1 or 2 and R.sup.6 represents a hydrogen atom, a hydroxy group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkoxy radical or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -acyloxy radical,
• or alternatively R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 together represent a radical of the formula ##STR18## wherein x=1 or 2, R.sup.4 represents a hydrogen atom;
• a cyano group;
• a chlorine, fluorine, bromine or iodine atom;
• a trialkylsilyl group;
• a trialkylstannyl group;
• a straight-chain or branched, saturated or unsaturated, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -hydrocarbon, -alkanoyl or alkoxyalkyl radical;
• an amino group ##STR19## in which R.sup.7 and R.sup.8, each independently of the other, represents a hydrogen atom or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl group;
• a corresponding amine oxide ##STR20## or the grouping --OR.sup.9 or --S(O).sub.i R.sup.9 in which i=0, 1 or 2 and R.sup.9 represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, methoxyphenyl, allyl or 2-dimethyl-aminoethyl group;
• or R.sup.4 represents a heteroaromatic radical of formula I.alpha. ##STR21## in which A represents a nitrogen, oxygen or sulphur atom, --B--D--E-- represents the sequence of elements carbon, carbon, carbon, Nitrogen, carbon, carbon or carbon, nitrogen, carbon and R.sup.10 represents a hydrogen atom;
• a cyano group;
• a chlorine, fluorine, bromine or iodine atom;
• a trialkylsilyl group;
• a trialkylstannyl group;
• a straight-chain or branched, saturated or unsaturated C.sub.1-C.sub.8 -alkyl, -alkanoyl or alkoxyalkyl radical;
• an
• amino group ##STR22## in which R.sup.7 and R.sup.8, each independently of the other, represents a hydrogen atom or a C.sub.1 C.sub.4 -alkyl group;
• a corresponding amine oxide ##STR23## or the grouping --OR.sup.9 or --S(O).sub.i R.sup.9 in which i=0, 1 or 2 and R.sup.9 represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, methoxyphenyl, allyl or 2-dimethyl-aminoethyl group;
• or R.sup.4 represents a heteroaryl radical of formula I.beta. ##STR24## in which A represents a nitrogen atom and --B--D--E--represents the sequence of elements --C--C--C--, --N--C--C--, --C--N--C--or --C--C--N--and R10 has the meaning already given, or R.sup.4 represents a phenyl radical of formula I.gamma. ##STR25## in which R.sup.10 has the meaning already given, and G represents a halogen atom or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl radical when M and Q are hydrogen atoms, or represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom or a C.sub.1 --C.sub.4 -alkyl radical when M and Q together are an additional bond
• Q represents a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl radical when M and G are hydrogen atoms, wherein when M and Q or M and G are hydrogen atoms, R.sup.4 cannot represent an acyl group, or
• G and M together represent a methylene or ethylene group when Q is a hydrogen atom.