Total synthesis of taxol

TAXOL, a substance originally isolated from the Pacific yew tree (Taxus brevifolia) more than two decades ago, has recently been approved for the clinical treatment of cancer patients. Hailed as having provided one of the most significant advances in cancer therapy, this molecule exerts its anticancer activity by inhibiting mitosis ( which is the division of the cell into two during cell growth) through enhancement of the polymerization of tubulin and consequent stabilization of microtubules.Microtubules are elements in the cell that are important for mitosis to occur. They are rod like structures that help segregate chromosomes during mitosis to the two regions of the cell much like a rugby ball. The scarcity of taxol and the ecological impact of harvesting it have prompted extensive searches for alternative sources including semisynthesis, cellular culture production and chemical synthesis. The latter has been attempted for almost two decades, but these attempts have been thwarted by the magnitude of the synthetic challenge. The total synthesis of taxol by a convergent strategy opens a chemical pathway for the production of both the natural product itself and a variety of designed taxoids.