text: The tail addition step in this synthesis (Scheme 6) was identical to that in the Nicolaou tail addition and was based on Oijma chemistry. The A ring was functionalized with a hydroxyl group through pyridinium chlorochromate oxidation of α-acylketone 49 to form ketone 50. Subsequent reduction using sodium borohydride produced alcohol 51 . Reaction of this alcohol with the Ojima lactam 52 and a concluding silyl deprotection step at two triethyl silyl positions in compound 53 gave Taxol.