From alkaloids to terpenoids: New strategies and tactics for the synthesis of polycyclic natural products

The chem. synthesis of natural products provides an exciting platform from which to conduct fundamental research in chem. and biol. Our lab. has ongoing research programs targeting the chem. syntheses of several natural products, including members of the epidithiodiketopiperazines, the ent-kauranoids, and the acutumine alkaloids. The densely packed arrays of heteroatoms and stereogenic centers that constitute these polycyclic targets challenge the limits of current technol. and inspire the development of new synthetic strategies and tactics. This seminar will describe our latest progress in both our methodol. and target-directed synthesis endeavors.