Access

Research Highlights

Nature Chemistry (26 September 2008) | doi:10.1038/nchem.69

Total synthesis: A catalytic challenge

Stephen Davey

Natural product synthesis provides an ideal testing ground for any new synthetic methodology, particularly asymmetric catalysis. It is almost always possible to create a simple natural product from a compound prepared during development of the methodology, but a tougher test involves applying this to the synthesis of an entirely new natural product.