Natural products have been invaluable as modulators of cell-cycle progression, leading frequently to the discovery of novel therapeutic agents and development of new synthetic concepts, reagents and transformations. Our unique approach lies in the development of highly practical synthetic strategies to complex bioactive natural products, followed by a rigorous and multidisciplinary effort aimed at the determination of their mode of action at both cellular and molecular levels. We have developed a practical synthetic approach to leucascandrolide A, a highly cytotoxic marine metabolite, that solved the material supply problem, and featured a concise, convergent and stereocontrolled assembly of this complex natural product in 18 steps. We recently disclosed a 15-step synthesis of bistramide A, which provided unambiguous structural determination of this natural product, including assignment of the complete relative and absolute stereochemistry. Other natural products assembled in our lab include pinolidoxin, herbarumin I, fukinone, and alpha- and betta-eremophilanes.

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 9546

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2002, 124, 13670

Angew. Chem. 2001, 40, 4757
Org. Lett. 2002,4, 3005