Neuroactive 13, 17-substituted steroids as modulators for GABA type-A receptors

A method of inducing anesthesia in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of Formula (I):

• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof;
• wherein:
• R1 is H, optionally substituted C1-C4 alkyl, optionally substituted C2-C4 alkenyl, or optionally substituted C2-C4 alkynyl;
• R2 is H, optionally substituted C1-C4 alkoxy, aryloxy, optionally substituted C2-C4 alkenoxy, optionally substituted C2-C4 alkynoxy, or —O—C(O)—Rx, where Rx is optionally substituted C1-C20 alkyl;
• R3 is H, optionally substituted C1-C4 alkyl, optionally substituted C2-C4 alkenyl, optionally substituted alkynyl, cyclopropyl, or C(O)Ry, where Ry is C1-C4 alkyl, C2-C4 alkenyl or C2-C4 alkynyl;
• R4 is optionally substituted C2-C4 alkenyl, optionally substituted C2-C4 alkynyl, optionally substituted cyclopropyl, or C(O)Rz, where Rz is C1-C4 alkyl, C2-C4 alkenyl or C2-C4 alkynyl;
• R5 is H, ═O, or ORv, where Rv is H, optionally substituted C1-C4 alkyl, optionally substituted C2-C4 alkenyl, optionally substituted C2-C4 alkynyl, or optionally substituted aryl;
• R6 is H, optionally substituted C1-C4 alkyl, optionally substituted C2-C4 alkenyl, or optionally substituted C2-C4 alkynyl;
• R7 is H, optionally substituted C1-C4 alkoxy, aryloxy, morpholinyl, optionally substituted C2-C4 alkenoxy, optionally substituted C2-C4 alkynoxy, or —O—C(O)—Rw, where Rw, is optionally substituted C1-C20 alkyl;
• R8 is, when present, H, C1-C4 alkyl, C2-C4 alkenyl, or C2-C4 alkynyl;
• R9 is H or C(O)Ru, where Ru is optionally substituted C1-C20 alkyl, optionally substituted C2-C20 alkenyl, or optionally substituted C2-C20 alkynyl;
• wherein the C5—H is in the alpha configuration;
• and,
• - - - denotes an optional, additional C—C bond, resulting in either a C═C bond between C4-C5 or C5-C6, with the proviso that when present, the C5—H substituent is not present.