Abstract: Prostan-1-ol esters and intermediates for their preparation are described; the former compounds exhibit improved organ specificity and a longer duration of activity at lower dosages than the corresponding non-esterified prostaglandins and are useful, inter alia, in triggering abortion, inducing labor and regulating the menstrual cycle.

Abstract: Prostanoic acid esters of the formulaPG-- CH.sub.2 -- X-- Ywherein PG is the prostanoyloxy radical of a prostaglandin, X is a carbon-carbon single bond, carbonyl or carbonyloxy, and Y is substituted phenyl are easily crystallized compounds at least as active as the unesterified prostanoic acid and useful for the purification of the parent prostaglandin are prepared by reacting, in the presence of an agent which splits off hydrogen halide, the unesterified prostaglandin with a halide of the formula Hal--CH.sub.2 --X--Y, wherein Hal is a halogen atom and X and Y have the values given above.

Abstract: Prostan-1-ol esters and intermediates for their preparation are described; the former compounds exhibit improved organ specificity and a longer duration of activity at lower dosages than the corresponding non-esterified prostaglandins and are useful, inter alia, in triggering abortion, inducing labor and regulating the menstrual cycle.

Abstract: Prostanoic acid derivatives of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is a hydrogen atom, alkyl of 1-10 carbon atoms, aryl or --CH.sub.2 --U--V wherein U is a direct bond, carbonyl, or carbonyloxy and V is phenyl or substituted phenyl, e.g. substituted by at least one of phenyl, alkoxy of 1-2 carbon atoms or a halogen atom; one of R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 is hydroxy and the other is a hydrogen atom or R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 collectively are an oxygen atom; A is --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 -- or trans--CH.dbd.CH; B is --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 -- or cis--CH.dbd.CH; D and E collectively are a direct bond, or D is alkylene or 1-5 carbon atoms and E is an oxygen or sulfur atom; R.sub.4 is alkyl of 1-10 carbon atoms, alkyl of 1-5 carbon atoms substituted by unsubstituted or substituted aryl, unsubstituted or substituted aryl, or benzodioxol-2-yl-; X--Y is ##STR2## when one of R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 is a hydroxy group and the other is a hydrogen atom or X--Y is ##STR3## or --CH.dbd.CH-- when R.sub.2 and R.sub.

Abstract: Optically active and racemic prostaglandin derivatives of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is --OR.sub.5 ; --NHSO.sub.2 CH.sub.3 ; or --O--CH.sub.2 --U--V; R.sub.5 is hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, or a heterocyclic group; U is a direct bond, carbonyl or carbonyloxy; and V is phenyl substituted by 1-3 phenyl, alkoxy of 1-2 carbon atoms, or halogen, preferably bromine;R.sub.2 is hydrogen or alkyl of 1-5 carbon atoms;R.sub.3 is alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl, straight-chain or branched alkyl of 1-5 carbon atoms substituted by aryl or substituted aryl, when R.sub.1 is as above; or R.sub.3 is aryl or substituted aryl group when R.sub.1 is --OR.sub.5 ', --NHSO.sub.2 CH.sub.3, or --O--CH.sub.2 --U--V and R.sub.5 ' is aryl or a heterocyclic group and U and V are as above;R.sub.4 is hydrogen or an ether or acyl residue;A is --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 -- or cis--CH.dbd.CH--;B is --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 -- or trans--CH.dbd.CH--;D is a direct bond, oxygen, or sulfur;Z is carbonyl or >CH OR.sub.4 wherein OR.sub.

Abstract: Prostaglandins of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is hydroxymethyl, carboxy, aryloxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonyl of 1-8 carbon atoms in the alkoxy group, or the group -COO-CH.sub.2 -U-V wherein U is a direct C-C bond, carbonyl or carbonyloxy and V is phenyl substituted by phenyl, alkoxy of 1-2 carbon atoms or halogen; R.sub.2 is hydroxy and R.sub.3 is a hydrogen atom or R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 collectively are an oxygen atom; A is -CH.sub.2 -CH.sub.2 or trans-CH=CH; B is -CH.sub.2 -CH.sub.2 or CH=CH; one of R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 is hydroxy and the other is a hydrogen atom; R.sub.6 and R.sub.7 each are alkyl of 1-10 carbon atoms or collectively are alkylene of up to 7 carbon atoms and with 2-3 carbon atoms in the chain, phenylene or naphthylene; R.sub.8 is a hydrogen atom or alkyl of 1-5 carbon atoms; ##STR2## when R.sub.2 is hydroxy and R.sub.3 is a hydrogen atom or is ##STR3## or -CH=CH- when R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 collectively are an oxygen atom; or, when R.sub.

Abstract: Prostanoic acid esters of the formulaPG -- CH.sub.2 -- X -- Ywherein PG is the prostanoyloxy radical of a prostaglandin, X is a carbon-carbon single bond, carbonyl or carbonyloxy, and Y is substituted phenyl are easily crystallized compounds at least as active as the unesterified prostanoic acid and useful for the purification of the parent prostaglandin are prepared by reacting, in the presence of an agent which splits off hydrogen halide, the unesterified prostaglandin with a halide of the formula Hal--CH.sub.2 --X--Y, wherein Hal is a halogen atom and X and Y have the values given above.

Abstract: Prostaglandin F.sub.2.sub..alpha. and analogs thereof of the formula ##SPC1##Wherein one of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 is hydroxy and the other is H or CH.sub.3, R.sub.3 is the remainder of the lower side chain and X is the remainder of the upper side chain thereof are produced in two steps from a 3-acyloxy mono ester of a lactone of the formula ##SPC2##Wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 have the values given below, by reacting the lactone with excess diisobutylaluminum hydride and reacting the thus-produced ketol, in the presence of strong anhydrous base, with a Wittig reagent of the formula Ph.sub.3 P=CH--X--COOH wherein Ph is a phenyl group and X has the values given above.

Abstract: Prostaglandins of the formula ##SPC1##Wherein R.sub.1 is HOCH.sub.2, --COOH, a salt thereof or an ester thereof; R.sub.2 is OH; and R.sub.3 is H or R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 collectively are = O. A is --CH.sub. 2 --CH.sub.2 -- or --(trans)--CH=CH--, B is --CH.sub. 2 CH.sub.2 --or --(cis)--CH=CH-- and R.sub.4 --O--O--R.sub.5 is a ketal group, are superior in physiological activity to the corresponding 15-.alpha.-hydroxy-prostaglandins.