Separation of cholesterol‐desmosterol acetates by thin‐layer and column chromatography on silica gel G‐silver nitrate

Abstract
A chromatographic method, using columns packed with Celite-Silica Gel G impregnated with silver nitrate, has been developed for the separation of cholesterol from desmosterol (24-dehydrocholesterol). The system employed allows a complete separation of the two sterols as acetates, as determined by gas-liquid chromatography and thin-layer chromatography. The recovery of pure cholesterol and desmosterol is quantitative.