The goal of this program is to develop new strategies and methods for the synthesis of biologically active secondary metabolites (natural products). A significant portion of our efforts will be dedicated to identifying efficient preparations of these complex molecules. These compounds and their unique derivatives will serve as novel small molecules to combat a range of indications associated with cancer as well as inflammation and pain. Our synthetic studies will lead to new applications of C?C bond activation methodology in organic synthesis as well as a Network Analysis approach to the preparation of topologically complex molecules. Our work will also highlight new directions for the use of carvone as a sustainable starting material for synthesis. Finally, working with collaborators, we will gain unique entry into the use of natural products and their derivatives to perturb biological function and ultimately provide promising starting points for new therapeutics.
Finding new and more efficient ways to build complex, bioactive, secondary metabolites (natural products) is important as it may lead to improvements in human health by identifying alternatives to existing medications to address, for example, cancer and other diseases associated with inflammation. Our goals are to develop new strategies and methods to efficiently construct complex secondary metabolites by using the carbon- hydrogen and carbon-carbon bonds, which have traditionally been viewed as inert. We will also use carvone, a readily available and sustainable agricultural byproduct, as a starting material for many of our syntheses.
