PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF OXANDROLONE

The present invention relates to a process for the synthesis of oxandrolone from mestanolone. The process comprises the steps of: (a) oxidizing mestanolone to form 17beta -hydroxy-17alpha -methyl-5 -androst-1-en-3-one; (b) hydroxylating the 17beta - hydroxy-17alpha -methyl-5alpha -androst-1-en-3-one to form 1alpha , 2alpha , 17beta -trihydroxy-17alpha - methylandrostan-3-one; (c) cleaving the 1alpha , 2alpha , 17beta -trihydroxy-17alpha -methylandrostan-3- one to form 17beta -hydroxy-17alpha -methyl-1-oxo-1,2,-seco-A-nor-5 -androstan-2-oic acid; and (d) reducing the 17beta -hydroxy-17 -methyl-1-oxo-1,2,-seco-A-nor-5alpha -androstan-2-oic acid to form oxandrolone. La présente invention concerne un processus de synthèse d'oxandrolone à partir de mestanolone. Ce processus consiste: (a) à oxyder de la mestanolone de façon à former 17< -hydroxy-17? -méthyl-5 -androst-1-en-3-one; (b) à hydroxyler ce composé 17? - hydroxy-17? -méhyl-5? -androst-1-en-3-one de façon à former 1?, 2?, 17? -trihydroxy-17? - methylandrostan-3-one; (c) à cliver ce composé 1?, 2?, 17? -trihydroxy-17? -méthylandrostan-3- one de façon à former un acide 17? -hydroxy-17? -méhyl-1-oxo-1,2,-seco-A-nor-5 -androstan-2-oïque; et (d) à réduire cet acide 17? -hydroxy-17 -méthyl-1-oxo-1,2,-seco-A-nor-5? -androstan-2-oïque de façon à former de l'oxandrolone.