Abstract: Saturated organic compounds containing a hydrogen atom bound to a tertiary carbon atom may be electrophilically fluorinated by reaction with an electrophilic fluorinating agent such as molecular fluorine or trifluoromethyl hypofluorite under conditions whereby the formation of free fluorine radicals is suppressed, e.g. by the presence of a free radical inhibitor such as oxygen or nitrobenzene, the reactants being substantially homogeneously dispersed in a liquid medium, e.g. a solvent medium such as fluorotrichloromethane or chloroform/fluorotrichloromethane, so that the said hydrogen atom is electrophilically replaced by a fluorine atom. The fluoroination is highly selective and, in the case of complex substrates such as saturated steroids which contain a number of tertiary C--H bonds, may be substantially completely confined to replacement of the hydrogen atom at the tertiary carbon atom which has the highest electron density about the C--H bond.

Abstract: Compounds of the general formula ##STR1## are provided wherein the substituents R, which may be the same or are different, represent hydrogen atoms or hydrocarbyl groups and the groups R.sup.1 represent hydrocarbyl groups or adjacent pairs of substituents R, or R and R.sup.1 together with the carbon atoms to which they are attached may constitute a non-aromatic ring structure, said hydrocarbyl groups or ring structure if desired carrying one or more substituents. Preferred compounds include steroid 1,4-diene-3-thiones of the cholestane, androstane, oestrane and pregnane series. Compositions containing these compounds are also provided.

Abstract: Novel semisynthetic .beta.-lactam intermediates of use in the production of cephalosporins, penicillins and related .beta.-lactam antibiotic compounds are provided. The novel compounds are prepared from .beta.-lactams obtained by cleavage of the 1,2-sulphur-carbon bond of a penicillin 1-oxide (with subsequent internal or external trapping of the sulphur atom to leave a residual substituent as the .beta.-lactam nitrogen) by removal of the said residual substituent by an oxidative cleavage reaction.

Abstract: 11-Halo derivatives of amitriptyline and its analogues, i.e. 5-(1'-halo-3'-aminoprop-1'-yl-idene)-5H-dibenzo[a,d]-10,11-dihydrocyclohep tenes and corresponding 11-oxa analogues as well as the acid addition salts thereof, have notable anti-depressant and tranquillising activity. They are prepared by reacting a 5-(3'-aminoprop-1'-ylidene)-5H-dibenz[a,d]-10,11-dihydrocycloheptene or an 11-oxa analogue thereof, or an acid addition salt thereof, with an electrophilic halogenating agent.

Abstract: A method of contraception which comprises orally administering steroidal 11, 19-hemiacetals of 11-hydroxy-19-oxo compounds to human beings.

Abstract: Novel azetidin-2-ones having in the 4-position an S-attached saturated or unsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic group having at least 2 carbon atoms and in the 3-position an amino or blocked amino group are provided. The novel compounds are useful as intermediates in the production of cephalosporins, penicillins and related .beta.-lactam antibiotic compounds. The novel compounds are prepared by cleaving a penicillin-1-oxide in the presence of a compound containing a nucleophilic carbon-carbon multiple bond not forming part of a ring.

Abstract: There is described the preparation of a mononitrate ester of a diol by photolysing in the presence of molecular oxygen a nitrite ester of an alcohol having a hydrogen atom conformationally adjacent to the hydroxy group and in which the atoms joining the hydrogen atom and the hydroxyl group include at least two adjacent atoms forming part of a ring.