Processes for preparation of 9,11-epoxy steroids and intermediates useful therein

A compound of Formula IV:

• wherein
• —A—A— representes the group —CHR4—CHR5— or —CR4═CR5—,
• R3, R4 and R5 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halo, hydroxy, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, hydroxyalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, hydroxy carbonyl, cyano, and aryloxy,
• R1 represents an alpha-oriented lower alkoxycarbonyl or hydroxycarbonyl radical,
• —B—B— represents the group —CHR6—CHR7— or an alpha- or beta-oriented group:
• where R6 and R7 are independendtly selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halo, lower alkoxy, acyl, hydroxyalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, hydroxycarbonyl, alkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, acyloxyalkyl, cyano, and aryloxy, and
• R8 and R9 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxy, halo, lower alkoxy, acyl, hydroxyalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, hydroxycarbonylalkyl, alkoxycarbonyalkyl, acyloxyalky, cyano, and aryloxy, or R8 and R9 together comprise a carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring structure, or R8 and R9 together with R6 or R7 comprise a carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring struucture fused to the pentacyclic D ring, and
• R2 is lower arylsulfonyloxy, alkylsulfonyloxy, acyloxy or halide.