2-iodo-3-keto- DELTA 4 steroids, process for their production, as well as their further processing

PCT No. PCT/DE91/00386 Sec. 371 Date Jan. 11, 1993 Sec. 102(e) Date Jan. 11, 1993 PCT Filed May 8, 1991 PCT Pub. No. WO91/17175 PCT Pub. Date Nov. 14, 1991.The new intermediate products of general formula I I in which R1 stands for a hydrogen atom or a straight-chain or branched alkyl group with 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R2 stands for a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R3 stands for a hydrogen atom, R4 stands for an acyloxy group with 1 to 4 carbon atoms in the acyl radical or R3 and R4 together stand for a keto-oxygen atom, are suitable in an excellent way for introducing a DELTA 1 double bond in the steroid skelton with the simultaneous presence of a DELTA 4 double bond, as well as a saturated carbonyl group, by clevage of hydrogen iodide with a base in an amidic solvent at elevated temperature. If R2 stands for a hydrogen atom, the A-ring is aromatized after the hydrogen iodide cleavage. For the production of a new intermediate products, special iodization processes, which partially also allow a stereoselective control of the iodization, are used.