New tricyclic steroid analogous compound

PURPOSE: To prepare a new compd. useful for enhancing gamma-amino butyric acid-induced chlorine currents at a gammer-amino butyric acid receptor/chloride ionophore complex. CONSTITUTION: A compd. of formula I or II (R 1 is H, a 1-4C alkyl or a fluoroalkyl; R 2 is H, a 1-4C alkyl or a fluoroalkyl; R 3 is H or CH; R 4 is H or CH 3 ; R 5 is H; R 6 is H; R 7 is H; R 8 is a hydrogen bond accepting group; R' is an ester group; or the like) such as [3S-(3α,3aα,5aβ,6β,7α,8aα,9 bβ)]-3-(acetyloxy) dodecahydro-6-(2-hydroxyethyl)-3a-methyl-1H-benz [e]- indene-7-butyric acid. The compds. of the formula I and the formula II are obtd. by using 19-nortostosterone as a starting material, introducing it into a compd. of formula IV via 6 stages and bringing it to react with a Wilkinson's catalyst in C 6 H 5 CN solvent. It is useful as an agent for releasing anxieties, anticonvulsant, reductive hypnotics, an agent for treating premenstrual syndromes or the like. COPYRIGHT: (C)1993,JPO