The synthesis of a series of oxygenated cyclohexenes 1, 2, 11, 14, 18,
and 19 that possess suitable functionality for further elaboration fo
r taxoid synthesis is described. These compounds have been prepared fr
om beta-ionone by a series of oxidative and addition reactions or alte
rnatively by a Lewis acid catalyzed intermolecular Diels-Alder reactio
n in which the A-ring is constructed directly.