The separation of steroid alcohols by chromatography of their benzoates on alumina

Abstract
Different types of epimeric and related hydroxysteroids were subjected to chromatography as acetates and benzoates. Hydroxysteroids which are epimeric at C-20 can be separated readily by chromatography as benzoates, but not as acetates. Compounds epimeric at C-3 or at C-17 can be separated readily either as acetates or as benzoates. Steroids epimeric at C-5 and some related pairs of steroids (a 5 [alpha]-saturated compound and the corresponding [DELTA] 5-unsaturated compound) cannot be separated easily either as acetates or benzoates. 9 new steroid benzoates are descr.