A 16-step synthesis of strophanthidin (3) from a commercially available steroid 4 is described.Salient features of this approach are the selective reduction of the dienone system in 7 to give 8 and a one-pot introduction of 5β- and 14β-hydroxyls by addition of HOBr (14 -> 15).The stereo- and regioselectivity of the HOBr addition to the 5,6-double bond is controlled by 19-formyloxy group.