Synthesis for your nerves

摘要

The tetracyclic and highly oxygenated sesquiterpenoid11-0-debenzoyltashirom'n (1) is a potent promoter of neurite outgrowth and could, therefore, display useful neuroprotective effects in vivo. As part of a campaign to develop an enantioselective total synthesis of this structurally challenging compound, Professor Martin Banwell and PhD candidate Mukesh Sharma, of the Research School of Chemistry at the Australian National University, have now established a 16-step synthesis of the related naturaL product khusiol (2) (Sharma MX, Banwell M.G., Willis A.C., Rae A.D. Chem. Asian 3. 2012, 7, 676-9).