6,7-Oxygenated steroids and uses related thereto

A process for introducing 6α,7β-dioxygenation into a steroid, comprising providing a steroid of Formula (13) having a carbonyl group at C7 and a double bond between C5 and C6, comprising a reduction the carbonyl group to a hydroxyl group, followed by a hydroboration of the double bond to provide a hydroxyl group at C6, wherein the C6 hydroxyl group has the α-configuration and the C7 hydroxyl group has the β-configuration,

• wherein each of the compounds of Formulas (13) and (14) include pharmaceutically acceptable salts and solvates thereof, and wherein:
• each of C1, C2, C3, C4, C11, C12, C15, C16 and C17 is independently substituted according to any of (a) and (b):
• (a) one of:
• ═O, ═C(R4)(R4), —C(R4)(R4)(C(R4)(R4))n— and —(O(C(R4)(R4))nO)— wherein n ranges from 1 to about 6;
• (b) two of:
• —X, —R4 and —OR1, each independently selected;
• each of C8, C9, C10, C13 and C14 is independently substituted with one of —X, —R4 or —OR1;
• R1 is H or a protecting group such that —OR1 is a protected hydroxyl group, where vicinal —OR1 groups may together form a cyclic structure which protects vicinal hydroxyl groups, and where geminal —OR1 groups may together form a cyclic structure which protects a carbonyl group;
• R4 at each occurrence is independently selected from H and C1-30 organic moiety that may optionally contain at least one heteroatom selected from the group consisting of boron, halogen, nitrogen, oxygen, silicon and sulfur, where two geminal R4 groups may together form a ring with the carbon atom to which they are both bonded;
• and
• X represents fluoride, chloride, bromide and iodide.