Weissenberg, M., Department of Organic Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
Glotter, E., Faculty of Agriculture, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O. Box 12, Rehovot 76-100, Israel

The formation of cis- and trans-epoxy-alcohols by treatment of steroidal epoxy-ketones with sodium borohydride is analysed in terms of the direction of attack on the corresponding unsubstituted ketones, and the steric hindrance exerted by the epoxide ring.