M. S. Cheng, Q. L. Wang, Q. Tian, H. Y. Song, Y. X. Liu, Q. Li, X. Xu, H. D. Miao, X. S. Yao*, Z. Yang*

J. Org. Chem. 2003, 68, 3658.

Methyl protodioscin (1), otherwise known as 3-O-[α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-{α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→4)}-β-d-glucopyranosyl]-26-O-[β-d-glucopyranosyl]-22-methoxy-25(R)-furost-5-ene-3β,26-diol, has been synthesized for the first time from diosgenin through nine steps in an overall yield of 7.8%.