GB789363A - Steroids and the preparation thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

3 - Keto - D 1,4 - steroids are obtained by contacting a D 4-steroid having from 18 to 21 atoms in the carbon skeleton with the dehydrogenating activity of an organism of the genus Nocardia, e.g. N. coeliaca, N. convoluta, N. corallina, N. crythropolis, N. gardneri, N. minima, N. polychromogenes, N. opaca and N. globerula. The process may be effected by bringing the steroid in aqueous solution or suspension into contact either with an actively growing culture of Nocardia, with cells of Nocardia removed from the growing culture and suspended in a suitable medium, or by contacting the steroid with extracts of dehydrogenating enzymes obtained from a culture of a species of the genus Nocardia. Preferably the steroid is subjected to submerged aerated fermentation with a living culture of the organism. As starting materials there may be used hydrocortisone, cortisone, corticosterone, Compound S, 14a -hydroxy Compound S, desoxycorticosterone, androstenedione, nortestosterone, 17a - hydroxyprogesterone, 1 - ketoprogesterone, 9a - fluoro - Compound F, 14a -hydroxy-Compound F, 11-epihydrocortisone, D 4,6 - androstadiendione, 11b ,17a - dihydroxyprogesterone, D 14 - dehydro Compound S, testosterone, progesterone, 16 - dehydroprogesterone, D 9(11) - dehydro-Compound S, D 4 - pregnene - 17a ,21 - diol-3,20 - dione, D 4 - pregnene - 11b ,14a ,17a ,21-tetrol - 3,20 - dione and D 4 - pregnene - 14a , 17a ,21 - triol - 3,11,20 - trione. Examples describe fermentations utilizing N. opaca and N. globerula.