Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for reducing the emetogenic effects of PDE inhibitors, and more particularly is directed to compounds having PDE4 inhibition activity with little or no emetogenic side-effects, and chemical methods including benzylation for preparing such compounds. A benzyl group may be attached to either a carbon or nitrogen atom of a PDE4 inhibitor. Suitable benzylation chemistry is to extract a hydrogen from a PDE4 inhibitor, preferably with a base, and then react the resulting nucleophilic PDE4 inhibitor with a benzylating agent, e.g., benzyl bromide or a derivative thereof.

Abstract: Steroid compounds having various oxygen substitution on the steroid nucleus are disclosed. A specific functionality present on many of the steroid compounds is oxygen substitution at both of positions 6 and 7. Thus, certain steroids have oxygen substitution at C6 and C7, and some have specific stereochemistries such as 6? and 7? oxygen substitution, and an alpha hydrogen at the 5 position in addition to having 6? and 7? oxygen substitution. Steroids having 3,4-epoxy functionality are also disclosed. In addition, steroids having C17 pyran and ?-lactone functionality, with oxygen substitution at C6 and C7, or at C15, of the steroid nucleus, are disclosed.