Conversion of taxane glycosides to 10-deacetylbaccatin III.

10-Deacetylbaccatin III (10-DAB III) (2) was obtained by a series of treatment of a mixture of taxane glycosides (3, 4, and 5) without isolation before treatment. Since the taxane glycosides are isolated with paclitaxel from yew trees and can be found during the process of the production of paclitaxel, their conversion to 10-DAB III improves the total yield of paclitaxel (1) and docetaxel.