Asymmetric total synthesis of some biologically active natural products

Abstract

Asymmetric total syntheses of some biologically active natural products are reviewed. The present methods rely on the novel application of the readily available optically active compounds as a chiral synthons that are used as a chiral source in the asymmetric induction and as a carbon framework of the target molecules. Asymmetric syntheses of some Amaryllidaceae alkaloids, maritidine and galanthamine by the use of L-tyrcsine, and the antitumor lignans, steganacin and related lignans by the use of (S)-γ-hydroxymethyl γ-butyrolactone as a chiral synthon are described.