Syntheses of 15.alpha.- and 15.beta.-carboxymethyltestosterone (15.alpha.- and 15.beta.-CMT) were investigated to prepare testosterone-bovine serum albumin conjugates for radioimmunoassays of testosterone. A mixture of 15.alpha.- and 15.beta.-bis(ethoxycarbonyl)methyl-3.beta.-hydroxy-5-androstein-17-one obtained by a reaction of 3.beta.-hydroxy-5,15-androstadien-17-one and sodium diethyl malonate was oxidized to afford a mixture of 15.alpha.- and 15.beta.-bis(ethoxycarbonyl)methyl-4-androstene-3,17-dione. After the separation by silica gel chromatography, each epimer obtained was hydrolyzed by acid, followed by decarboxylation, and selective reduction of the 17-ketone to give 15.alpha.- and 15.beta.-CMT. The antisera, generated in rabbits by immunization with the bovine serum albumin conjugates of 15.alpha.- and 15.beta.-CMT, respectively, exhibited high specificity for testosterone.