Dimeric steroids can be formed by reductive amination of terephthalaldehyde with 3-amino steroids using cyanoborohydride. An amino group in the 11β-position can be blocked using a formyl group, and this can be removed by acid hydrolysis after dimerization. Trifluoroacetyl is not a suitable blocking group; although it can be removed by acid hydrolysis from monomeric steroids, it was only removed from the dimer under forcing conditions which ...