7-O-Triflates of baccatin III or of taxol analogs are convenient precu
rsors in alternate syntheses of Delta(6,7)-taxols and 7 beta,8 beta-me
thano (cyclopropyl) taxols, two of the products initially obtained fro
m reaction of taxols with methylDAST; hydrazine is an effective reagen
t for conversion of the 10-acetate group to the hydroxyl group.