Total synthesis of natural product antibiotics

Abstract

Since the discovery of the antibiotic penicillin, natural products-small mols. isolated from plants, bacteria, and fungi-have played an essential role in the development of new anti-infectives. Synthetic org. chemists can use Nature's mols. as a starting point, and perform precise mol. edits to make new mols. with improved the properties or efficacy. Although semisynthesis has given rise to the vast majority of natural product-derived antibiotics, total synthesis can provide opportunities to prep. new derivs. not accessible through semi-synthesis. This seminar will describe recent efforts in our lab. focused on the synthesis of natural product antibiotics.