Optically active seco steroids - prodn by microbiol-ogical reduction of the dione

摘要

Prepn. of d-17beta-hydroxy-8,14-secogona-tetraen-14-ones (I) by reduction of diones (II) in the presence of a culture of a microorganism of genus Cryptococcus, Rhodotorula, or Torulopsis. R and R' = alkyl (I) have hormonal activity and are intermediates.