Improvements in or relating to steroids

The invention comprises D 3,5-unsaturated steroids of the general formula wherein R represents a hydrocarbon radical containing from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, and R1 represents hydrogen or the acyl residue of an organic carboxylic acid, and the preparation thereof (other than when R represents a methyl or ethyl radical) by reacting the corresponding 3-enol ethyl ether with an excess of the required alcohol or phenol in the presence of an acid catalyst and, in the case wherein R represents an aliphatic group containing from 1 to 5 carbon atoms, by reacting the corresponding aliphatic orthoformate with the free or acylated 19-nortestosterone in the presence of an acid catalyst. Pharmaceutical compositions suitable for myotropic purposes contain as the active ingredient D 3,5-unsaturated steroids of the above general formula and a non-toxic pharmaceutical carrier which may be a solid or a liquid such as sterile parenteral oil. Specification 922,511 is referred to.