All articles tagged with #total synthesis
In a preview interview ahead of his 80th birthday, K. C. Nicolaou reflects on a career that defined modern total synthesis, detailing his approach to assembling complex natural products, the challenges overcome, and the impact of his work on drug discovery and chemical biology, as shared with Stephanie Greed in Nature Reviews Chemistry.
After nine years of work, a US team led by Jonathan Lindsey at NC State achieved the first total synthesis of bacteriochlorophyll a, a four-stereocentre macrocycle central to bacterial photosynthesis. The route uses an asymmetric Michael addition to set stereochemistry, a Knoevenagel condensation to join halves, followed by Nazarov cyclisation and electrophilic aromatic substitution to close the macrocycle with the correct configuration. Despite Covid-related supply challenges and the death of a team member in February 2025 slowing progress, the achievement provides access to a range of photosynthetic tetrapyrroles and could be adapted to other native pigments, with plans to streamline the process and improve yields.