Boron template methodology for Diels- Alder reaction in taxol synthesis.
Answers
The Diels±Alder reaction has bothenabled and shaped the art and scienceof total synthesis over the last fewdecades to an extent which, arguably,has yet to be eclipsed by any othertransformation in the current syntheticrepertoire. With myriad applications of this magnificent pericyclic reaction,often as a crucial element in elegantand programmed cascade sequencesfacilitating complex molecule con-struction, the Diels±Alder cycloaddi-tion has afforded numerous and un-paralleled solutions to a diverse rangeof synthetic puzzles provided by naturein the form of natural products. Incelebration of the 100th anniversary of Alder×s birth, selected examples of theawesome power of the reaction hehelped to discover are discussed in thisreview in the context of total synthesisto illustrate its overall versatility andunderscore its vast potential which hasyet to be fully realized.