Pentane, separation continued

A mixture of 3.18 g (10 mmoles) of 17 -hydroxy-2-hydroxymethylene-5a-androstan-3-one, 20 ml dry dimethyl formamide and 0.3 g (13 mmoles) of sodium hydride is stirred for 0.5 hr at room temperature under nitrogen. A total of 1.51 g (12.5 mmoles) of redistilled allyl bromide is added and the mixture is stirred for 1 hr on the steam bath. Aqueous potassium hydroxide (2 g in 5 ml of water) is added and stirring is continued for 1 hr on the steam bath. The reaction mixture is diluted with 50 ml of methylene dichloride followed by careful addition of 300 ml of water. The organic phase is separated and the aqueous phase is again extracted with 50 ml of methylene dichloride. The combined extracts are washed with water, dried over sodium sulfate, filtered and chromatographed on 200 g of silica gel. Elution with pentane-ether (4 1) provides 2a-allyl-17j -hydroxy-5a-androstan-3-one 0.85 g (26%) mp 118-119° [aj 14° (CHCI3), after crystallization from ether-hexane. 

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