Patent ID: 7220872

Claim:
A method of converting a taxane molecule having the formula: wherein R 1 is hydrogen, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an ester group, an ether group, or a hydroxyl protecting group; R 2 is hydrogen, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an ester group, an ether group, or a hydroxyl protecting group; R 4 is hydrogen, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an ester group, an ether group, or a hydroxyl protecting group; R 7 is hydrogen, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an ester group, an ether group, a glycoside group, an oxo-group, or a hydroxyl protecting group; R 10 is hydrogen, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an ester group, an ether group, or a hydroxyl protecting group; R is an alkoxy group, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an arylalkyl group, an ether group, heterocyclic group, or a vinyl group; and R N is an alkoxy group, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an arylalkyl group, an ether group, or a heterocyclic group, or a vinyl group; the method comprising the steps of: reductively deoxygenating the C-3′ amide group on the taxane molecule to form an a C-3′ imine compound; hydrolyzing the imine compound to form a primary amine compound; and treating the primary amine compound with a hindered base capable of effecting acyl migration to form another taxane molecule having the formula: wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 4 , R 7 , R 10 , and R N are as defined above.