This is what I understand happens, following the process of production of progesterone, described on page 894, second column.
In the first two steps cholesterol is brominated in benzene, and oxidized in a solvent with acid permanganate(aq). In the last step the product is again debrominated using zinc dust.
The strong oxidizing agent potassium permanganate is used, as well as sulfuric acid. The article below describes the process of production of progesterone from cholesterol.
Progesterone has numerous physiological effects. Although primarily associated with the reproductive system, progesterone has multiple effects outside of it. This steroid hormone can act as an antiinflamatory agent, reducing the immune response; it can also assist in thyroid hormone action and bone building. Progesterone appears to prevent endometrial cancer (cancer involving the uterine lining) as well as breast cancer .
The sulfonium salt S-adenosylmethionine is one of the most widely used biological methylating agents. It is formed by the ATP activation of methionine. One of the most benifical uses of this salt is to convert norepinephrine to epinephrine (adrenaline). Many times this conversion happens in flight or fight organs, which leads to vasodilatation. This vasodilatation in turn leads to an increased blood flow to the organ/tissue or interest.
The reaction shown is the formation of S-Adenosylmethionine. This process occurs in two steps as can be seen. The first step cleaves the whole phosphate of the ATP. However before the sulfur of methionine attacks the C5` atom of ATP (via SN2) there is further hydrolysis of the cleaved tri-phosphate into two inorganic phosphates (di and mono).
