A synthetic approach toward taxol analogs: studies on the construction of the CD ring

Tricycle , containing the CD ring of taxol, is constructed from (S)-(+)-carvone in 21 steps involving a Diels–Alder reaction with isoprene, a Baeyer–Villiger oxidation, an Oppenaurer oxidation and Meerwein–Ponndorf–Verley reduction, a stereospecific Grignard addition, and an intramolecular SN2 reaction as the key steps.