Chemistry and Biochemistry Colloquia - Sarah Reisman (Schneller Frontiers Lecture)

Sarah Reisman
California Institute of Technology
http://reismangroup.caltech.edu/
Host:  Brad Merner

Title: Necessity is the Mother of Invention: Natural Products and the Chemistry they Inspire

Abstract:  The chemical synthesis of natural products provides an exciting platform from which to conduct fundamental research in chemistry and biology. We are currently focused on devising concise approaches to complex polycyclic natural products such as ryanodol, acutumine, and members of the diterpenoid alkaloids. The densely packed arrays of heteroatoms and stereogenic centers that constitute these polycyclic targets challenge the limits of current technology and inspire the development of new synthetic strategies and tactics. This seminar will describe our latest progress in both our methodological and target-directed synthesis endeavors.