In addition, carefully controlling the dehydration of {HEAD ~ 5α,6β dihydroxy 6α,17α dimethylpregnan 3,20 dione} under {TAIL ~ alkaline conditions} in the presence of methanol, provides the novel intermediate 6β hydroxy 6α,17α dimethylpregn 4 ene 3,20 dione in good yields, which, unlike 5α,6β dihydroxy 6α,17α dimethylpregnan 3,20 dione, is readily crystallized from lower alkanols such as methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, etc., to provide pure intermediate product 
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In addition , carefully controlling the dehydration of { HEAD ~ 5α,6β dihydroxy 6α,17α dimethylpregnan 3,20 dione } under { TAIL ~ alkaline conditions } in the presence of methanol , provides the novel intermediate 6β hydroxy 6α,17α dimethylpregn 4 ene 3,20 dione in good yields , which , unlike 5α,6β dihydroxy 6α,17α dimethylpregnan 3,20 dione , is readily crystallized from lower alkanols such as methanol , ethanol , isopropanol , etc . , to provide pure intermediate product
OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH HEAD HEAD HEAD HEAD HEAD HEAD HEAD HEAD HEAD HEAD REL TAIL TAIL TAIL TAIL TAIL TAIL OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH