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Organic chemistry

Short cuts to complexity

The credit crunch is forcing people to tighten their belts, but chemists have long known the benefits of being economical with atoms. The latest synthesis of an anticancer agent shows how effective parsimony can be.

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Figure 1: The natural source of bryostatins.

SOUTHEASTERN REGIONAL TAXONOMIC CENTER/SOUTH CAROLINA DEPT NAT. RES.

Figure 2: Catalytic steps in the synthesis of bryostatin 16.

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Charette, A. Short cuts to complexity. Nature 456, 452–453 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/456451a

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