Most components of the biosphere are continuously ex posed to oxygen from the atmosphere. Accordingly, the inex orable deterioration of all organic compounds by the slow attack of oxygen must occur. Despite this eventuality, a definitive treatment of oxygen-dependent decomposition of any single important natural product has not heretofore been made. The instant monograph attempts to provide a complete description of the autoxidation of one such impor tantnatural product, cholesterol, as the matter is currently understood. The autoxidation of cholesterol in Nature has been a matter of interest...

Most components of the biosphere are continuously ex- posed to oxygen from the atmosphere. Accordingly, the inex- orable deterioration of all organic compounds by the slow attack of oxygen must occur. Despite this eventuality, a definitive treatment of oxygen-dependent decomposition of any single important natural product has not heretofore been made. The instant monograph attempts to provide a complete description of the autoxidation of one such impor- tantnatural product, cholesterol, as the matter is currently understood. The autoxidation of cholesterol in Nature has been a matter of...