using tris triphenyl phosphine rhodium i chloride to give compound xiii oxidation of xiii using ddq gives xiv reaction of xiv and ethynyl magnesium bromide gives xv jones oxidation of xv gives compound xvi ddq oxidation of compound vii gives compound xvii reaction of xvii with ethynyl magnesium bromide gives xviii which is converted if desired to xix upon chromatography of xix two products are isolated which are c 15 isomers and which exhibit identical infrared nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectra hydrogenation of xvii using a palladium on charcoal catalyst gives compound xx which when treated with ethynyl magnesium bromide is converted to xxi jones oxidation of xxi gives xxii it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that compound vii or mixtures of compounds vi and vii may be substituted for compound vi as starting intermediate in the synthesis of ix and xii and that the intermediates thereto which correspond to v viii and x will have the ring hydroxyl group in a spatial orientation corresponding to that of the starting intermediate selected similarly compound vi or mixtures of compound vi and vii may be substituted for compound vii as starting intermediate in the synthesis of xvi xix and xxii and the intermediates thereto namely those corresponding to xiii xiv xv xvii xviii xx and xxi will similarly have the ring hydroxyl group in a spatial orientation corresponding to that of the.