The crystal structure of a steroid hormone-3 beta-acetoxypregn-5-en-20
-one, C23H34O3-is determined from X-ray diffraction data. The crystals
are monoclinic; a = 11.924(6), b = 11.750(7), and c = 7.510(7) Angstr
om; beta = 104.84(6)degrees; V = 1017(1) Angstrom(3); sp. gr. P2(1); Z
= 2; d(calc) = 1.169 g/cm(3); and R = 0.031 for 652 reflections with
I greater than or equal to 3 sigma(I). The 17-beta side chain is cis r
elative to the C(16)-C(17) bond.