| abstract |
The invention provides a synthetic route from sarsasapogenin to timosaponin BII and related compounds.A diketone intermediate is provided, which can advantageously be used for in situ assembly of complex sugar moieties of the desired glycone end product. The diketone compound is then selectively reduced using a borohydride reducing agent to form the desired end product, certain of the end products and intermediates are novel compounds perse. |