An Approach to Epothilones Based on Olefin Metathesis

Abstract

The same mechanism as taxol but a completely different, simpler structure is displayed by the recently described epothilones A and B. These features immediately attracted the attention of synthetic chemists. An approach to the macrocyclic framework of the epothilones has now been devised through use of ring-closing metathesis with the Grubbs catalyst [RuCl2(CHPh){P(C6H11)3}2].