Enantiospecific total synthesis of (-)-bengamide E.

Total synthesis of the polyhydroxy caprolactam amide natural product, bengamide E, is accomplished starting from tartaric acid. Key reactions in the synthesis include desymmetrization of the bis(dimethylamide) unit of tartaric acid, Zn(BH(4))(2)-mediated anti-selective reduction, and a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination.

Stereoselective synthesis of 12,13-cyclopropyl-epothilone B and side-chain-modified variants.

A general strategy has been devised for the stereoselective synthesis of 12,13-cyclopropyl-epothilone B and side-chain-modified variants thereof, which relies on late stage introduction of the heterocycle through Wittig olefination of ketone 14. Formation of the macrocycle was achieved through RCM-based ring closure and introduction of the cyclopropane moiety involved a highly selective Charette cyclopropanation of allylic alcohol 7.

Diversity through semisynthesis: the chemistry and biological activity of semisynthetic epothilone derivatives.

Epothilones are myxobacterial natural products that inhibit human cancer cell growth through the stabilization of cellular microtubules (i.e., a "taxol-like" mechanism of action).