Optionally, the steroid alcohol 1 may be esterified with a protected ??-hydroxy acid having the formula A--CH(OP)CO2 H or a protected hydroxybenzoic acid of the formula (PO)C6 H4 CO2 H, wherein A is defined as above and P is a suitable protecting group which allows the steroid hydroxyl to participate in an esterification reaction with the carboxyl group of either protected or unprotected carboxyli