Studies Towards the Total Synthesis of Epothilones: Asymmetric Synthesis of the Key Fragments

Abstract

Abstract Members of a new class of macrolide—the so‐called epothilones ( 1 )—showing a taxol‐like biological activity have recently been isolated. A convergent approach to 1 is presented, and the asymmetric syntheses of the three key intermediates 3, 4 , and 8 are reported.