ABSTRACT
Selective hydrogenations have been key reactions in the preparation of fine chemicals for many decades. The success in the development of an economically favorable route for the preparation of 5a-dihydroethisterone from androst-4-ene-3, 17 -dione hinged on selective hydrogenation of 3ethoxyandrosta-3,5-dien-17 -one. This paper addresses the importance of the solvent, catalyst, catalyst loading, hydrogen pressure and temperature in obtaining both the required selectivity and desired high yield.
