The known 17-hydroxy steroid (I) is oxidized to the corresponding ketone (II) by means of the Jones reagent in acetone. After protection of the ketone (II) as the ethylidene ketal (III), removal of the 3-benzyl ether under transfer hydrogenation conditions furnishes the phenol (IV), which is esterified with acetic anhydride in pyridine to give the aryl acetate (V). Bromination at the alpha-position of the ketalized keto group of (V) is carried out in the presence of phenyltrimethylammonium tribromide in cold THF to produce the 16-alpha-bromide (VI). Dehydrobromination of (VI) with simultaneous acetate hydrolysis upon treatment with potassium tert-butoxide leads to the olefin (VII). Subsequent acidic hydrolysis of ketal (VII) gives the enone (VIII), which is further acylated with isopropenyl acetate and acetic anhydride in the presence of p-toluenesulfonic acid to furnish the dienyl acetate (IX). Finally, reductive treatment of (IX) with sodium borohydride affords the target diol.