to mild acid. Air oxidation of this catechol ketone affords taxodione. Synthesis Taxodone rearranges easily in the presence of mild acids and reacts readily with nucleophiles. Although taxodone shows higher anticancer and antibacterial activity than taxodione it eluded creation in the laboratory for over 25 years because of its inherent instability. During this time several different groups reported syntheses of the more stable taxodione. In 1993 taxodone was synthesized for the first time in a 16 step sequence utilizing a unique phenol benzylic epoxide electron reorganization in the final step. As taxodone readily decomposes into taxodione this synthesis of taxodone also constitutes a formal synthesis of taxodione as well. Since the synthesis of taxodone there have been additional syntheses of taxodione and analogs. See also Taxodium distichum Quinone methide Diterpenoid Salvia References External links The First Total Synthesis of (±)-Taxodone Taxodone, Pubchem entry Quinone methides, Steven Edward Rokit Biological and toxicological consequences of quinone methide formation Recent Advances in the Chemistry of Terpenoid Tumor Inhibitors Quinone methides Tertiary alcohols Diterpenes Phenanthrenes Enols Secondary alcohols Diols Isopropyl compounds