Abstract: The invention relates to a measuring device, comprising a housing having two opposing measuring surfaces, to each of which there are assigned a phototransmitter and photoreceiver disposed in the interior of said housing, each measuring surface having an opening which is transparent to light of at least one wavelength and at least one of the two measuring surfaces is in the form of a dynamometer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a measuring device, comprising a housing having two opposing measuring surfaces, to each of which there are assigned a phototransmitter and photoreceiver disposed in the interior of said housing, each measuring surface having an opening which is transparent to light of at least one wavelength and at least one of the two measuring surfaces is in the form of a dynamometer.

Abstract: New .DELTA.1,4,9(11)-pregnatrien-3-one-2o-carboxlic acid compounds are described, corresponding to general formula I below: ##STR1## in which X represents halogen, particularly chlorine or bromine or NH.sub.2. There is also described the process for producing compounds corresponding to general formula I by dehydrating the corresponding saturated starting compounds hydroxylated in the 11-position to form the 9(11)-ene-bond, after which the product obtained is, if desired, subjected to chemical transformation into the end products corresponding to general formula I. In particular, it is possible to carry out formation of the 20-acid halides and dehydration in the 9(11)-position in a single process step.

Abstract: New .DELTA.4-steroid compounds optionally containing a further double bond in the 1-position and an 11-oxygen function and corresponding to general formula I below: ##STR1## in which X represents halogen, particularly chlorine or bromine, or NH.sub.2 and Y is a hydroxyl group, or together with the C-atom substituted by Y, represents a carbonyl group, are obtained from the associated steroid-20-carboxylic acids by reaction with a halogenating agent in substantially stoichiometric quantities at temperatures not exceeding 15.degree. C., after which the steroid-20-carboxylic acid halide formed is, if desired, reacted with ammonia or with a compound which yields ammonia.

Abstract: .DELTA.4-Steroid-20-carboxylic acids (BNC compounds) which may optionally contain at least one other double bond in the 1(2)- and/or 9(11)-position and which may also contain an oxygen function, particularly a hydroxyl group or a keto group, in the 11-position, are degraded in the 20-carboxyl group by carboxy inversion degradation. To achieve this, the BNC-carboxylic acids are first transformed into their acid halides which are reacted with peracids to form mixed acid anhydrides, followed by hydrolysis. The reaction product obtained is a mixture of 20-hydroxy- and 20(21)-ene-steroid compounds which contain one carbon atom less than the starting material used. New and known C21-steroid compounds can be produced by the process. The C21-steroid compounds having an oxygenated function in the 11-position may be processed to prednisolone and prednisone by known procedures.

Abstract: The degradation of steroid-C22-carboxylic acids to the C20-carbonyl steroids is carried out in simplified form and preferably without isolating intermediate reaction products by using 17(20)-steroid-22-carboxylic acids as starting material and directly transforming them into the 20-carbonyl compound through their respective acid halides by the Curtius degradation or by carboxy-inversion degradation. The acetyl substituent thus formed in C17 of the steroid compounds is present in the pharmacologically required configuration.

Abstract: C21-steroid compounds with a nitrogen function in the 20-position corresponding to general formula I below ##STR1## in which Y is hydrogen, a hydroxyl group or, together with the C-atom substituted by Y, represents a carbonyl group or may even be replaced by a 9(11)-ene bond and in which X is hydrogen, acyl, a carbonic acid ester residue or, together with the adjacent hydrogen atom on the nitrogen, represents a carbonyl group, may be obtained by converting the steroid-C20-carboxylic acid halides structurally analogous to the required reaction product into the corresponding carboxylic acid azide and either transforming the carboxylic acid azide thus formed into the C20-isocyanate through the elimination of nitrogen and, if desired, converting the C20-isocyanate thus obtained into the C20-carbamate and/or the C20-amine or directly transforming the carboxylic acid azide into the C20-amine.

Abstract: A process for the partial reduction of C21-steroid carboxylic acids and their esters to C21-steroid alcohols and new C21-steroid alcohols.DELTA.4,17(20)-C21-steroid carboxylic acids optionally containing further double bonds in the 1- and/or 9(11)-position and their esters corresponding to general formula I below ##STR1## in which R represents hydrogen or a hydrocarbon radical and A represents hydrogen, hydroxyl or, together with the C-atom substituted by A, a carbonyl group and in which, finally, the substituent A may even be replaced by an additional olefinic double bond in the 9(11)-position, are reacted with diisobutyl aluminium hydride without the A-ring in the steroid skeleton being blocked in such quantities that all the oxygen-containing functional groups are reduced to the hydroxyl group. The aluminium-containing intermediate reaction product is then subjected to the selective Oppenauer oxidation to form the 3-keto compound. The 3-oxo-C21-steroid alcohols may be obtained in high yields in this way.

Abstract: For the production of 17-C-steroid-.alpha.-propionic acid compounds by microbial side chain degradation on 17-C-side chain steroid substrates wild strain microorganisms selected in predetermined manner are subjected to a multi-stage mutation and selection. The resultant mutant strains are capable of supplying the desired compounds, e.g. .DELTA.-4 BNC and/or .DELTA.-1,4 BNC in high yields even in the absence of inhibitors arresting the growth and/or degradation of the steroid ring. Wild strains and mutants particularly suitable, and their choice, production and use, are described.

Abstract: A .DELTA..sup.1,4,17 -BNC compound having the formula: ##STR1## wherein X is a substituent selected from the group consisting of OH and OCH.sub.3 ; as well as its process of production by microbiological side-chain splitting of a 17-C-side-chain steroid with a defect mutant microorganism which gives a steroid with a 17-C-.alpha.-propionic acid substituent in the absence of inhibitors inhibiting either the cleavage of the steroid ring or microorganism growth, where the defect mutant microorganisms are grown under a reduced air supply whereby an enrichment of .DELTA..sup.1,4,17 -BNC occurs.

Abstract: A process for the production of useful steroids obtained by side chain degradation of sterol source materials through the use of microorganisms is described.