Dr. Burke was awarded a Presidential Young Investigator grant in 1984 at the University of South Carolina. He is moving to the University of Wisconsin as full Professor where he will continue his research under the fourth and fifth years of support. This research deals with the total synthesis of a variety of biologically active molecules in enantiomerically pure form. Specifically, the target molecules to be synthesized are as follows: phyllanthocin, the aglycone of the antileukemic glycoside phyllanthocide; the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitory substances dihydrocompactin and dihydromevinolin; the "left-wing" of the ionophore antibiotic X-14547A; the macrolide antibiotic aglycone of erythronolide B; patulin, a densely functionalized mycotoxin; the trio of antifungal agents ethiosolide, isoavenaciolide and avenaciolide. Specific synthetic methodologies to be developed and applied include ?3+2! dipolar cycloadditions, hydrometallation/carbonylation, pi-allyl palladium functionalization, vinylsilane-mediated polyene cyclization, and the enolate Claisen rearrangement.
