With this award, the Chemical Synthesis Program of the NSF Division of Chemistry is supporting the research of Professor Dirk Trauner of New York University. Professor Trauner is studying a class of naturally occurring molecules called "alkaloids". These molecules contain nitrogen atoms and have been vital in the discovery of several biological or physiological processes, particularly in the nervous system, and have played important roles as therapeutic drugs. Due to their fascinating chemical structures and biological activities, they have inspired the development of new methods for the synthesis of organic molecules, some of which now play a crucial role in the pharmaceutical industry. They have been a platform to continuously refine tactics and strategies that synthetic chemists employ to synthesize related molecules found in nature. In this proposal, Professor Trauner is preparing several such molecules via routes that mimic their possible synthesis in nature. In addition to synthesizing these molecules, this work is providing a better understanding of the effects of these molecules on their biological targets. Professor Trauner is also engaged in outreach and is a co-organizer of "Entertaining Science," which brings together scientist, artists, and the general public in the Cornelia Street Cate, New York City.
Professor Trauner and his team are studying the synthesis of a class of structurally complex alkaloids from the clubmoss Lycopodium annotinum, none of which have been synthesized to date. Members of this class of alkaloids known as the annotinolides and lannotinidines, are being be synthesized through a unified approach that centers on lannotinidine G. Additionally, a new synthesis of tetrodotoxin (TTX), the infamous toxin responsible for the paralytic effects of fugu poisoning, is being studied. Although TTX is a classic target, its synthesis remains a formidable challenge. This approach is improving the state of the art and serving in the development of new TTX derivatives that are being used to study certain voltage gated sodium channels that have relevance to alleviating pain. As a part of this project, Professor Trauner's students are receiving training in chemical synthesis and exposure to neurophysiology, preparing them for careers in chemical and pharmaceutical industries.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
