The four possible isomers of 3-benzyloxy-16-hydroxymethylestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-17-ol (1a-4a) with proven configurations were converted into the corresponding 3-benzyloxy-16-bromomethylestra-1,3,5(10)-triene-3,17-diols (5e-8e). Depending on the reaction conditions the cis isomers of 3-benzyloxy-16-hydroxymethylestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-17-ol (1a and 2a) were transformed into 3-benzyloxy-16-bromomethylestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-17-yl acetate (5b and 6b) or 16-bromomethyl-3-hydroxyestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-17-yl acetate (5c and 6c) on treatment with HBr and acetic acid. The mechanism of the process can be interpreted as involving front-side neighboring group participation. Under similar experimental conditions, the trans isomers (3a and 4a) yielded only 3-benzyloxy-16-acetoxymethylestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-17-yl acetates (3b and 4b) or 16-acetoxymethylestra-1,3,5(10)-triene-3,17-diyl diacetates (3d and 4d). Both the cis (1a and 2a) and the trans (3a, and 4a) isomers were transformed into 16-bromomethylestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-17-ol (5a-8a) by the Appel reaction on treatment with CBr4/Ph3P. Debenzylation of 5a-8a was carried out with HBr and acetic acid to yield 5e-8e. The debenzylation process in the presence of acetic anhydride produces the diacetates 5d-8d. The structures of the compounds were determined by means of MS, 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectroscopic methods. Compounds 5c-8c and 5e-8e were tested in a radioligand-binding assay. Except for the affinity of 7e for the estrogen receptor (Ki=2.55 nM), the affinities of the eight compounds (5c-8c and 5e-8e) for the estrogen, androgen and progesterone receptors are low (Ki > 0.55, 0.52 and 0.21 microM, respectively).