1-Keto-2-methyl-7-methoxy-1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12-0ctahydrophenanthrene,, whose BC ring has the same configuration as dl-strone's, was readily obtained from Miescher's ketoester A by alkali hydrolysis.By means of the Reformatsky reaction this ketone reacted with methyl y-bromocrotonate, forming methyl y-l-hydroxy-2-methyl-7-methoxy-1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 2-octahydrophenanthrene-l-crotonate.This unsaturated ester, after being hydrogenated in the presence of 5% Pd-C, was hydrolyzed with dilute KOH in CH30H solution, giving the sodium salt of the hydroxy acid.Upon acidification of the sodium salt solution,Y-1-hydroxy-2-methyl-7-methoxy-1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 2-octahydrophenanthrene-1-butyric acid was obtained with excellent yield.This acid was recrystallized from benzene, melring at 168-169°.Preliminary experiments on the cyclization of this hydroxy acid indicated the formation of a ketone.