Monohydroboration-oxidation of abieticacid and methyl abietate with both diborane and t-2,3-dimethylbutylborane leads to preferential attack on the 7,8-double bond to give 7-hydroxy-8(14)-enes, e.g., (IIIa). Dihydroboration-oxidation with these reagents yields mainly the 7β,14β-dihydroxy derivatives, e.g., (XIXa), with smaller amounts of the 7α, 14α-dihydroxy-compounds and a third 7,14-diol of unknown