Starting point for the Woodward synthesis was the hydroquinone 1 that was converted to cis-bicycle 2 in a Diels-Alder reaction with butadiene. Conversion to the desired trans isomer 5 was accomplished by synthesis of the sodium enolate salt 4 (benzene, sodium hydride) followed by acidification. Reduction (lithium aluminium hydride) then gave diol 6, a dehydration (HCl/water) gave ketol 7, deoxygenation of its acetate by elemental zinc gave enone 8, formylation (ethyl formate) gave enol 9, Michael ethyl vinyl ketone addition (potassium t-butoxide/t-butanol) gave dione 11 which on reaction with KOH in dioxane gave tricycle 12 in an aldol condensation with elimination of the formyl group. In the next series of steps oxidation (osmium tetroxide) gave diol 13, protection (acetone/copper sulfate) gave acetonide 14, hydrogenation (palladium-strontium carbonate) gave 15, formylation (ethyl formate) gave enol 16 which protected as the enamine 17 (N-methylaniline/methanol) gave via the potassium anion 18, carboxylic acid 19 by reaction with cyanoethylene using triton B as the base. 
Acid 19 was converted to lactone 20 (acetic anhydride, sodium acetate) and reaction with methylmagnesium chloride gave tetracyclic ketone 21. Treatment with periodic acid (dioxane) and piperidine acetate (benzene) gave aldehyde 24 through diol 22 (oxidation) and dialdehyde 23 (aldol condensation). Sodium dichromate oxidation gave carboxylic acid 25, Diazomethane treatment gave methyl ester 26 and sodium borohydride the allyl alcohol 27. Chiral resolution of this racemic compound with digitonin produced chiral 28 and on Oppenauer oxidation chiral 29. Hydrogenation (Adams' catalyst) gave alcohol 30, chromic acid oxidation gave ketone 31, sodium borohydride reduction stereoselectively gave alcohol 32, hydrolysis followed by acylation gave acetate 33, thionyl chloride treatment gave acyl chloride 34 and methyl cadmium the ketone 35.
In the final stages reaction of 35 with isohexylmagnesium bromide 36 gave diol 37, acetic acid treatment gave dehydration and then hydrogenation gave acetate 38. Hydrolysis of this ester gave cholestanol 39. The route from cholestanol to cholesterol was already known (see: Robinson synthesis).