Claims for Patent: 5,912,238

Summary for Patent: 5,912,238

Title:	Heteroatoms-containing tricyclic compounds
Abstract:	The invention concerns the compounds of formula I ##STR1## wherein the substituents have various significances. They are prepared by several processes including epimerizing replacement, treatment with cyanogen bromide or thiophosgene, treatment with an acid having a non-nucleophilic anion, treatment with dimethylsulfoxide and acetic anhydride, acylation, treatment with an oxalyl derivative and ammonia, methylation, oxidation, deprotection and protection. They possess interesting pharmacological activity as antiinflammatory, immunosuppressant, antiproliferative and chemotherapeutic drug resistance reversing agents.
Inventor(s):	Baumann; Karl (Vienna, AT), Emmer; Gerhard (Vienna, AT)
Assignee:	Novartis AG (Basel, CH)
Application Number:	08/276,276
Patent Claims:	1. A compound of formula I ##STR10## wherein R.sub.1 is a group of formula (a) ##STR11## wherein R.sub.5 is chloro, bromo, or iodo; R.sub.6 is hydroxy or methoxy; R.sub.2 is oxo and there is a single bond in the 23,24 position; hydroxy or hydroxy protected by a hydroxy protecting group selected from formyl, tert-butoxycarbonyl, and trialkylsilyl and there is a single or a double bond in the 23,24 position; or is absent and there is a double bond in the 23,24 position; R.sub.4 is hydroxy and there is a single bond in the 10,11 position; or is absent and there is a double bond in the 10,11 position; R.sub.3 is methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, or allyl; in free form or, where such forms exist, in salt form. 2. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R.sub.5 is chloro or bromo; R.sub.6 is methoxy; and R.sub.4 is hydroxy and there is a single bond in the 10,11 position; R.sub.2 is hydroxy or hydroxy protected by a hydroxy protecting group selected from formyl, tert-butoxycarbonyl, or tert-butyldimethylsilyl and there is a single or a double bond in the 23,24 position; and R.sub.3 is methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, or allyl, in free form. 3. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R.sub.5 is chloro; R.sub.6 is methoxy; and R.sub.4 is hydroxy and there is a single bond in the 10,11 position; R.sub.2 is hydroxy and there is a single bond in the 23,24 position; and R.sub.3 is ethyl or allyl, in free form. 4. The compound of claim 1 in which R.sub.2 is OtBDMS, R.sub.4 is OH, R.sub.6 is OMe, position 23,24 and position 10,11 are single bonds and R.sub.5 and R.sub.3 are a) Cl and allyl; b) Cl and Et; c) Br and Et; d) Br and allyl; and e) I and Et. 5. The compound of claim 1 in which R.sub.2 is OH, R.sub.6 is OMe, and position 23,24 is a single bond and R.sub.5, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4, and position 10,11 are a) I, Et, OH, and single bond; b) Cl, allyl, OH, and single bond; c) Cl, allyl, absent, and double bond; d) Cl, Et, absent, and double bond; e) Br, Et, OH, and single bond; f) Br, Et, absent, and double bond; g) Br, allyl, OH, and single bond; and h) Br, allyl, absent, and double bond. 6. The compound according to claim 1 which is 33-epi-33-chloro-FR 520 (compound of Example 66a). 7. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a compound according to claim 1 in free base form or, where such forms exist, in pharmaceutically acceptable salt form, together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier therefor. 8. A method of treating inflammation, which comprises administering to a patient in need of said treatment an anti-inflammatory effective amount of a compound according to claim 1 in free base form or, where such forms exist, in pharmaceutically acceptable salt form. 9. A method of inducing immunosuppression, which comprises administering to a patient in need of said treatment an immunosuppressant effective amount of a compound according to claim 1 in free base form or, where such forms exist, in pharmaceutically acceptable salt form. 10. A method of inhibiting cell proliferation, which comprises administering to a patient in need of said treatment a cell proliferation inhibiting amount of a compound according to claim 1 in free base form or, where such forms exist, in pharmaceutically acceptable salt form. 11. A method of reversing chemotherapeutic drug resistance, which comprises administering to a patient in need of said treatment a compound according to claim 1 in free base form or, where such forms exist, in pharmaceutically acceptable salt form in an amount effective for reversing chemotherapeutic drug resistance.