5-Androstanediol stands out among androgenic and estrogenic steroids. This material is built on a rigid cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene core, with key functional groups at the 3 and 17 positions. Its molecular formula reads C19H32O2, a familiar sight among biochemists and folks working with steroid intermediates. In practice, it serves as a biochemical intermediate in pathways tied to both testosterone and dihydrotestosterone, two critical hormones in the human body. The core molecular property—that stubborn four-ring structure—gives this compound a dense, compact feel.
Step into the lab, and 5-Androstanediol generally shows up as a white, crystalline powder. Feel it between your fingers and there’s a fine-grained texture—not sticky, not greasy, almost talc-like. Don’t expect pearls or flakes in a standard sample unless someone’s really messed with the recrystallization—the powder tends to clump if left out, but breaks up evenly with a spatula. The material’s solid at room temperature, holding together with a respectable melting point in the range of 176–178°C. Solubility often frustrates formulation attempts. It barely dissolves in water, but jumps right into organic solvents like ethanol, ether, and chloroform—a telltale fingerprint for chemists handling similar steroids. Density sits close to 1 g/cm³, making it neither light nor particularly heavy among organic solids, usually filling a liter measuring beaker with just over a kilo. If you try to work with it in solution, you’ll need either high-proof ethanol or a custom solvent blend to get a clear mix, since water-based suspensions almost always end up cloudy.
Talking structure, 5-Androstanediol shows every sign of its steroid nature. The backbone features the classic four saturated rings—a hallmark shared with cholesterol and every major steroid hormone in human biology. Two hydroxyl groups attach at the 3-beta and 17-beta positions, inviting targeted chemical reactions and making the molecule just polar enough to give separation scientists a bit more to work with. If you’re staring at diagrams, the clean, unbroken lattice of carbon atoms offers familiar ground, and this stability pays off in both shelf-life and ease of storage. From a synthetic perspective, the two hydroxyl groups provide main anchor points for further tweaking, acting as stepping stones for the next phase in hormone synthesis or pharmaceutical production.
Every shipment of 5-Androstanediol comes with a safety data sheet and strict batch records. Material sold commercially usually sits at 97–99% purity—anything less doesn’t meet the threshold for most research or pharmaceutical projects. Each lot tags along with a certificate analyzing melting point, loss on drying, solvent impurities, and related substances. Customs paperwork identifies the raw material with the Harmonized System (HS) code 2937.29, flagged under hormone derivatives. New buyers quickly notice how companies standardize packaging: amber glass bottles or double-sealed polyethylene bags, clearly marked for chemical use. If used in production, it leaves its mark on the paperwork trail from customs declaration all the way to controlled storage.
Depending on supplier and intended use, 5-Androstanediol pops up mainly as a dry powder or crystalline solid. I’ve never seen it as a liquid—temperature swings just push it right back to a solid form unless you’re under serious vacuum. Powdered samples need transfer in sealed containers, and in bulk, it shows remarkable stability—a shelf life that rides well past two years if kept dry and protected from direct light. On rare occasions, semi-crystalline flakes might show up, especially if the compound has gone through a less-than-ideal recrystallization, but these dissolve just as readily in suitable solvents. Use a dust mask if working on a larger scale—there’s no need inhaling raw hormone powders, especially in a poorly ventilated lab. Anyone in pharmaceutical or advanced chemical facilities tends to treat all these forms with the respect due any biologically active compound.
Working with raw steroids brings health and safety stakes. Safety datasheets flag 5-Androstanediol as harmful if inhaled or absorbed through the skin. No one wants accidental exposure—especially true in places handling raw hormone feedstock. Eye protection, gloves, and well-fitted masks are the norm in labs when moving, weighing, or dissolving this compound. On large scale, exhaust hoods, sealed systems, and strict spill protocols all come into play. This isn’t a highly reactive chemical, but being a hormone precursor, chronic exposure raises concern for regulatory bodies and anyone tasked with occupational health. Disposal as hazardous chemical waste remains the rule. This keeps pipes, people, and the local environment safe from steady hormone leaks into municipal water or landfill. For companies or labs slow to update safety procedures, routine audits by local environmental agencies usually force an overdue rethink. Effective protocols and routine staff training do the heavy lifting here.
5-Androstanediol serves as a major building block for the pharmaceutical sector, especially for producing medications targeting hormone-related deficiencies or certain cancers. Its utility extends to active research in both biomedicine and endocrinology, acting as a biological probe or intermediate in the production of specialty prohormones. This puts it in the raw materials category for anyone managing synthetic pipelines or process development in hormone manufacturing. Supply chains today stretch global; trusted vendors offer analytical data, HS tracking, and sequencing codes for every gram shipped, given regulatory scrutiny. For research teams, reliable access and consistent quality guarantee that test results stack up across experiments without batch-to-batch oddities. Breakdowns in this chain put entire clinical trials at risk—an all-too-frequent headache in fast-moving sectors or budget-strapped universities. A solid supply of well-documented, high-purity 5-Androstanediol lets firms and researchers keep projects moving, whether for developing new therapies, improving old generics, or supporting research that edges closer to the next big breakthrough.
