Lithium aluminum hydride reduction of 3α,12α -diacetoxypregnan-20-one (Ia) gives as the major product pregnane-3α,12α,20β-triol (III), whereas the reduction of the corresponding dihydroxypregnanone I affords mainly the epimeric 3α,12α,20α-triol II. Triol III was transformed to 12β-methyl-12α-hydroxyprogesterone (VIII).