Total Synthesis and Chemistry of Natural Products

Articles

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  Divergent synthesis of Haplomitrium diterpenoids via a late-stage biomimetic skeletal reorganization approach

  Labdane derived hapmnioide-type diterpenoids, which have been identified as chemical markers for Haplomitrium liverwort, show potent anti-inflammatory and allelopathic activities. Here, the authors report the total synthesis of seven typical Haplomitrium diterpenoids through late-stage biomimetic skeletal reorganization.

  • Zong-Xu Gao
  • Chenyingchun Su
  • Hong-Xiang Lou

  ArticleOpen Access15 Dec 2025 Nature Communications
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  Asymmetric total synthesis of benzenoid cephalotane-type diterpenoids through a cascade C(sp²) & C(sp³)–H activation

  Cephalotane diterpenoids, featuring unique and complicated carbon skeletons and remarkable antitumor activities have been gaining increasing attention. Here, the authors report the asymmetric and divergent total synthesis of benzenoid cephalotane-type diterpenoids containing the identical 6/6/6/5 tetracyclic and the bridged δlactone skeleton with different oxidation states.

  • Xiangxin Li
  • Zhaoxu Lu
  • Zhixiang Xie

  ArticleOpen Access20 May 2025 Nature Communications
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  Enantioselective total synthesis of lycoposerramine congeners through late-stage nitrogen deletion

  Lycopodium alkaloids are attractive synthetic targets due to their diverse and unusual skeletal features, but there remain synthetic challenges to several lycopodium alkaloids. Here, the authors report the synthesis of several lycoposerramine congeners in 10 steps or less by employing a nitrogen deletion strategy for late-stage fragment coupling.

  • Kenta Yokoi
  • Hans Renata

  ArticleOpen Access15 Feb 2025 Nature Communications
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  Total synthesis of a structurally complex zwitterionic hexasaccharide repeating unit of polysaccharide B from Bacteroides fragilis via one-pot glycosylation

  Zwitterionic polysaccharides present on the surface of a common gut commensal Bacteroides fragilis are considered to be potential antigens for the development of totally carbohydrate-based vaccines. Here, the authors report the total synthesis of a highly branched phosphorylated zwitterionic capsular hexasaccharide repeating unit of Bacteroides fragilis via a one-pot glycosylation strategy.

  • Krishna Puri
  • Suvarn S. Kulkarni

  ArticleOpen Access12 Sep 2024 Communications Chemistry
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  Bioinspired concise synthesis of caged Sesquiterpenoids Artatrovirenols A and B

  Artatrovirenols A and B are two natural sesquiterpenoids with a complex tetracyclic backbone, and their chemical total synthesis is challenging. Here, the authors report a concise synthesis of artatrovirenols A and B in 9 and 8 steps, respectively, featuring a bioinspired [4 + 2] cycloaddition reaction to construct the tetracyclic core.

  • Yunxia Yang
  • Dong Xie
  • Xuegong She

  ArticleOpen Access2 Jan 2025 Nature Communications
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  Synthesis of Acinetobacter baumannii Lipid A(s) and derivatives and their structure-immunostimulatory activity relationships

  Acinetobacter baumannii is a major cause of hospital-acquired infections, yet its virulence factors, particularly lipooligosaccharides, are not well understood. Here, the authors synthesize A. baumannii lipid A(s) and their corresponding monophosphate derivatives, revealing that specific acylation patterns enhance immunological activity, as well as an inverted binding mode in the TLR4/MD-2 receptor complex.

  • Xin-Ru Li
  • Janet Jia-Yin Tan
  • Kwok-Kong Tony Mong

  ArticleOpen Access6 Aug 2025 Communications Chemistry
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  Soluble individual metal atoms and ultrasmall clusters catalyze key synthetic steps of a natural product synthesis

  Individual metal atoms and few-atom metal clusters have shown promising catalytic activities, however, their exploitation in the total synthesis of complex organic molecules remains underexplored. Here, the authors develop a total synthesis of the bioactive natural product (±)-Licarin B involving key steps catalyzed by soluble individual Pd atoms and Cu/Pd/Pt clusters, achieving an 11-step linear synthesis and overall yield of 13.1%.

  • Silvia Rodríguez-Nuévalos
  • Miguel Espinosa
  • Antonio Leyva-Pérez

  ArticleOpen Access4 Apr 2024 Communications Chemistry
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  Phosphinothio(seleno)ation of alkynes/olefins and application on the late-stage functionalization of natural products

  Transition metal catalysts are typically used for the hydrofunctionalization of unsaturated hydrocarbons, however, such reactions are time-consuming and may be challenging. Herein, the authors report the non-metallic BF₃·OEt₂-promoted multi-component, highly regioselective, and chemoselective hydrothio(seleo)phosphonylation of unsaturated hydrocarbons, which exhibits high yields and good substrate universality

  • Chang-Wei Shao
  • Pei-Feng Wan
  • Xu-Wen Li

  ArticleOpen Access5 Dec 2024 Communications Chemistry