A simple, efficient, and alternative synthetic route for docetaxel with better control on the protection–deprotection sequence has been developed. The process is easily scalable and commercially viable, and critical impurities can be controlled efficiently. For the first time, absolute configuration of docetaxel was determined unambiguously by single-crystal x-ray diffraction. ... A simple, efficient, and alternative synthetic route for docetaxel with better control on the protection– ...