The art and science of constructing the molecules of nature

Abstract

Embedded within this issue of PNAS is a Special Feature* comprising 3 Perspectives and 25 research articles dealing with the theme of natural product synthesis— the art and science of constructing the molecules of nature in the laboratory. The birth of this discipline coincides with the synthesis of urea by Friedrich Wohler from ammonium cyanate in 1828, because this compound is a naturally occurring substance. Besides giving birth to organic synthesis, that landmark event served to “demystify” nature by burying, once and for all, the myth that the synthesis of nature's molecules is her exclusive domain. These days, the discipline of natural product synthesis, both total and partial (semisynthesis), is an important field of investigation whose dividends stretch from new scientific knowledge to practical applications. Considered by many as the flagship of organic synthesis, natural product synthesis symbolizes the power of chemical synthesis at any given time and defines its scope and limitations. It also serves to sharpen the tool of chemical synthesis by attempting to push its frontiers into higher molecular complexity, diversity, and efficiency. The field of natural product synthesis has been recognized with the …