In studying the evolution of organic chemistry and grasping its essence, one comes quickly to the conclusion that no other type of reaction plays as large a role in shaping this domain of science than carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions. The Grignard, Diels-Alder, and Wittig reactions are but three prominent examples of such processes, and are among those which have undeniably exercised decisive roles in the last century in the emergence of chemical synthesis as we know it today. In the last quarter of the 20th century, a new family of carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions based on transition-metal catalysts evolved as powerful tools in synthesis. Among them, the palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions are the most prominent. In this Review, highlights of a number of selected syntheses are discussed. The examples chosen demonstrate the enormous power of these processes in the art of total synthesis and underscore their future potential in chemical synthesis.

Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions in total synthesis.

Natural products and their derivatives have historically been invaluable as a source of therapeutic agents. However, in the past decade, research into natural products in the pharmaceutical industry has declined, owing to issues such as the lack of compatibility of traditional natural-product extract libraries with high-throughput screening. However, as discussed in this review, recent technological advances that help to address these issues, coupled with unrealized expectations from current lead-generation strategies, have led to a renewed interest in natural products in drug discovery.

The evolving role of natural products in drug discovery

In 2010, Richard Heck, Ei-ichi Negishi, and Akira Suzuki joined the prestigious circle of Nobel Laureate chemists for their roles in discovering and developing highly practical methodologies for C-C bond construction. From their original contributions in the early 1970s the landscape of the strategies and methods of organic synthesis irreversibly changed for the modern chemist, both in academia and in industry. In this Review, we attempt to trace the historical origin of these powerful reactions, and outline the developments from the seminal discoveries leading to their eminent position as appreciated and applied today.

Palladium-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling: A Historical Contextual Perspective to the 2010 Nobel Prize

Drug discovery from marine natural products has enjoyed a renaissance in the past few years. Ziconotide (Prialt; Elan Pharmaceuticals), a peptide originally discovered in a tropical cone snail, was the first marine-derived compound to be approved in the United States in December 2004 for the treatment of pain. Then, in October 2007, trabectedin (Yondelis; PharmaMar) became the first marine anticancer drug to be approved in the European Union. Here, we review the history of drug discovery from marine natural products, and by describing selected examples, we examine the factors that contribute to new discoveries and the difficulties associated with translating marine-derived compounds into clinical trials. Providing an outlook into the future, we also examine the advances that may further expand the promise of drugs from the sea.

Drug development from marine natural products

Wenn man die Entwicklung der organischen Chemie betrachtet, kommt man schnell zu dem Schluss, dass kein Reaktionstyp dieses Gebiet in vergleichbarer Weise gepragt hat wie die Kohlenstoff-Kohlenstoff-Kupplungen. Grignard-, Diels-Alder- und Wittig-Reaktionen sind nur drei herausragende Beispiele fur solche Prozesse, die im vergangenen Jahrhundert zweifellos entscheidend am Aufstieg der chemischen Synthese beteiligt waren. Im letzten Viertel des 20. Jahrhunderts bereicherte eine neue Familie von leistungsfahigen Reaktionen zur Knupfung von Kohlenstoff-Kohlenstoff-Bindungen das Repertoire der Synthesechemie: die ubergangsmetallkatalysierten Reaktionen, allen voran die palladiumkatalysierten Kreuzkupplungen. In diesem Aufsatz werden Auszuge aus einer Reihe von ausgewahlten Synthesen diskutiert. Die Beispiele sollen die enorme Leistungsfahigkeit dieser Prozesse in der Kunst der Totalsynthese aufzeigen und ihr Potenzial fur zukunftige chemische Synthesen unterstreichen.

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Palladiumkatalysierte Kreuzkupplungen in der Totalsynthese

An efficient, highly convergent, stereocontrolled total synthesis of the potent antimitotic agent (+)-discodermolide (1) has been achieved on gram scale. Key elements of the successful strategy include (1) elaboration of three advanced fragments from a common precursor (CP) which embodies the repeating stereochemical triad of the discodermolide backbone, (2) σ-bond installation of the Z trisubstituted olefin, exploiting a modified Negishi cross-coupling reaction, (3) synthesis of a late-stage phosphonium salt utilizing high pressure, and (4) Wittig installation of the Z disubstituted olefin and the terminal (Z)-diene.

Evolution of a gram-scale synthesis of (+)-discodermolide

Langmuir films of fullerene C60, fullerene epoxide C60O, and dihydrofulleroid C61H2

The orientational phase transition in solid buckminsterfullerene epoxide (C60O)

The desire to replace the amide backbone of renin inhibitors with a new scaffold led us to explore vinylogous amides (enaminones). An initial attempt proved unsuccessful, a result explained after the fact via docking experiments. Based on this lesson, we designed a different vinylogous amide scaffold which incorportated one or more pyrrolinone rings into the backbone. Three of the four compounds gave IC50s in the 0.6 to 18 μM range. These compounds did not inhibit HIV-1 protease. Taken together, the results reported herein provide insights into the role of hydrogen bonding and steric interactions for binding to renin. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Design and synthesis of nonpeptide peptidomimetic inhibitors of renin

Synthetic methods and intermediates useful in the preparation of lactone containing compounds such as discodermolide and compounds which mimic the chemical or biological activity of discodermolide are provided.

David R. Jones

Papers

Evolution of a gram-scale synthesis of (+)-discodermolide

Langmuir films of fullerene C60, fullerene epoxide C60O, and dihydrofulleroid C61H2

The orientational phase transition in solid buckminsterfullerene epoxide (C60O)

Design and synthesis of nonpeptide peptidomimetic inhibitors of renin

Synthetic techniques and intermediates for polyhydroxy dienyl lactones and mimics thereof