Syntheses and stereochemistry of (±)-4α-methyl-10β-hydroxy-trans-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,10-octahydrophenanthrene-4β-carboxylic acid lactone and the four epimers of (±)-4-methyl-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,10-octahydro-phenanthrene-4-carboxylic acid.