Toward an efficient synthesis of taxane analogs by dienyne ring-closing metathesis.

An efficient tandem ring-closing dienyne metathesis of dienynes derived from cyclohex-2-enone affords the [5.3.1] carbon framework characteristic of taxanes in a single-step process. Further stereoselective functionalizations of the resulting [5.3.1] carbon framework lead to an advanced intermediate in a novel synthetic strategy for taxane analogs.