Steroids bearing ketone functionality at carbon-7 are found commonly in nature, and the most prevalent of these are the 7-keto-delta5-sterols. These substances have diverse biological properties and are present in biological samples and food products. For the purpose of studying this class of oxysterols, many chemical methods, involving the chemical oxidation of delta5-sterols to the corresponding 7-keto-delta5-sterol derivatives have been developed to produce these compounds. We have undertaken a review and evaluation of chemical methods for the synthesis of these compounds and have endeavored to enhance one of these procedures to yield products for chemical and biological investigations.