Dehydroepiandrosterone acetate (I) is converted to the lactam (II), which is hydrolyzed to the alcohol (III). Oppenauer oxidation of (III) gives the a,3-unsaturated ketone (IV). The intermediate (IV) is treated with pyrrolidine in methanol to give the enamine (V) in excellent yield. The latter, on sodium borohydride reduction affords (VI), the 3beta- configuration being assigned on the basis of similar reductions reported elsewhere. Sodium and n-pentanol reduction of (VI) leads to the diamine (VII), the methyl derivative (VIII) of which is prepared and converted into the dimethiodide (HS-310).