Treatment of 2 beta-hydroxytestosterone diacetate (Ia) with p-toluenesulfonic acid in methanol produced 17 beta-hydroxy-5 alpha-androstan-3,6-dione. Oxidation of la, its 2 alpha-epimer Ib or 2 alpha-hydroxytestosterone with molecular oxygen under alkaline conditions gave 2,17 beta-dihydroxy-1,4-androstadien-3-one (IIIa).