Brevifoliol is a natural diterpene isolated from Taxus baccata Nutt. A series of brevifoliol 1 derivatives, 2-8 and 10, were prepared for characterization and semisynthesis purposes and included the introduction of acetyl, Troc, and TES groups at C-5 and C-13. Derivatives 16-20 of 5-acetylbrevifoliol 2 were obtained via esterification with cinnamic acid, with both 2 S-(-)- and 2 R-(+)-3-phenyllactic acid, and with N-benzoyl-(2'R, 3'S)-3'-phenylisoserine at C-13. ...