Abstract: A process is claimed for the preparation of 4-androstene-3,17-dione and 1,4-androstadiene-3,17-dione of the general formula ##STR1## wherein symbolizes a single bond or a double bond, characterized by fermenting .alpha.-sitosterol with a culture of a strain of microorganisms capable of side chain degradation of sterols.

Abstract: A process for the extraction of aromatic (e.g., phenyl-containing) amino acids from an aqueous phase (solution) containing them, comprising combining the aqueous phase with a tenside of the formulaR--U--SO.sub.3 XwhereinR is alkyl or cycloalkyl each of 4-18 carbon atoms; or phenyl or naphthyl, each optionally substituted by alkyl groups, and having up to 18 carbon atoms total.U is a carbon-to-sulfur bond or an oxygen atom, andX is an alkali metal ion;acidifying the aqueous phase to a pH value of 2.0-2.5; andextracting the aqueous phase with an alcohol, a ketone, or a carboxylic acid alkyl ester, each containing 4-6 carbon atoms.

Abstract: An improved process for isolating 3-hydroxy steroids and 3-keto steroids from mixtures thereof with lipids by dissolving the mixtures in an organic solvent, mixing the dissolved mixture with a metal salt to form insoluble adducts of the steroids, separating the insoluble adducts and splitting the adducts to regenerate the free steroids, which comprises using methyl isobutyl ketone and/or methyl n-amyl ketone as the solvent and calcium bromide as the metal salt.