To study the stereochemical aspects of the aromatase reaction of androst-4-en-17-one (1) and its 5-ene isomer 4, competitive inhibitors of aromatase, the [19S-(3)H]- and [19R-(3)H]-labeled 19-hydroxy derivatives 2 and 5, were synthesized through NaB(3)H(4) reduction of the corresponding 19-aldehydes 3 and 6 as a key reaction. The hitherto unknown stereochemistry of the NaB(3)H(4) reduction was established based on the deuterium-labeling experiments with NaB(2)H(4). A comparison of (1)H-NMR spectra of the NaB(2)H(4) reduction products of 19-als 3 and 6 with those of the respective authentic steroids revealed that the ratios of 19S-(2)H to 19R-(2)H were 90 : 10 for the 4-ene steroid 2 and 70 : 30 for the 5-ene isomer 5, respectively. Jones oxidation of the [19S-(2)H]19-ols, followed by the non-labeled NaBH(4) reduction, gave the corresponding [19R-(2)H]19-ols 2 and 5 (R-(2)H : S-(2)H=90 : 10 for steroid 2 and 70 : 30 for steroid 5). The stereoselectively (3)H-labeled compounds 2 and 5 were similarly obtained in these sequences.