Abstract: The natural product cephalomannine can be converted to the important anticancer natural product taxol by a simple process involving the steps of dihydroxylation to give cephalomannine-diols, diol cleavage, benzoylation at the 2'-position and reaction with a 1,2-diamine. The same process when applied to mixtures of taxol and cephalomannine makes it possible to separate taxol from cephalomannine-diols by simple flash-chromatography after the dihydroxylation step. If the benzoylation step is avoided in the above sequence of conversions, the process leads to the free amine (N-debenzoyltaxol). In addition, the selection of an acylating reagent other than that with the benzoyl group for acylation of the free amine (N-debenzoyltaxol), allows the preparation of taxol analogs with other N-acyl substituents.

Abstract: The natural product cephalomannine can be converted to the important anticancer natural product taxol by a simple process involving the steps of hydrogenation, benzoylation at the C-2'-position, protection of the C-7 position, and reaction with oxalyl chloride, followed by reaction with diphenylcarbodiimide and deprotection. The same process can be applied to mixtures of taxol and cephalomannine, thus obviating the need for the separation of these closely related compounds. In addition, the selection of an acylating reagent other than the benzoyl group allows the preparation of taxol analogs with other N-acyl substituents.