Purification of campesterol and preparation of 7‐dehydrocampesterol, 7‐campestenol and campestanol

Campesterol ([24R]‐24‐methyl‐5‐cholesten‐3β‐ol) was isolated from a soybean sterol mixture and purified on a small scale by column chromatography and on a large scale by crystallization from acetone to 97% purity. From this, 7‐dehydrocampesterol ([24R]‐24‐methyl‐5,7‐cholestadien‐3β‐ol) and campestanol ([24R]‐24‐methyl‐cholestan‐3β‐ol) were prepared. The acetates and benzoates of all four compounds also were obtained and compared to the corresponding members of the ergostane series.