The disclosure concerns 5.beta.-hydroxy-.DELTA..sup.6 -steroids of the general formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is hydrogen, acyl, lower alkyl, or the tetrahydropyranyl residue and R.sup.2, R.sup.3 individually are respectively hydrogen or jointly are methylene and X stands for oxygen, the groupings ##STR2## (wherein R.sup.4 means hydrogen or acyl) and ##STR3## (wherein R.sup.5 means hydrogen or lower alkyl) and a process for the preparation thereof by reacting corresponding 7.alpha.-chloro-5.beta.,6.beta.-epoxy steroids in an inert solvent with metallic zinc in a lower aliphatic carboxylic acid or dilute mineral acid at temperatures of between room temperature and 100.degree. C., preferably at 40.degree.-70.degree. C. The compounds producible by this method are intermediates for the preparation of 3-keto-.DELTA..sup.4 -6.beta.,7.beta.-methylene steroids constituting pharmacologically valuable compounds, for example aldosterone antagonists.
该披露涉及通式为##STR1##的5.beTA.-羟基-.DELTA..sup.6 -类
固醇,其中R.sup.1为氢,酰基,较低的烷基或
四氢吡喃基,R.sup.2,R.sup.3分别为氢或共同为亚甲基,X代表氧,基团##STR2##(其中R.sup.4表示氢或酰基)和##STR3##(其中R.sup.5表示氢或较低的烷基),以及一种制备该类化合物的方法,该方法通过在惰性溶剂中与低级
脂肪酸或稀酸中的
金属
锌反应,反应温度在室温和100℃之间,优选在40℃-70℃下进行,反应对应的7.alpha.-
氯-5.beTA.,6.beTA.-环氧类
固醇。通过该方法可制备的化合物是制备具有药理学价值的3-酮-.DELTA..sup.4 -6.beTA.,7.beTA.-亚甲基类
固醇的中间体,例如
醛固酮拮抗剂。