A new synthesis of gelsemine using a novel bridge-swapping strategy

紧凑、密集功能化、多环天然产物的合成仍然是合成化学家面临的挑战，也是新合成方法和策略发展的重要刺激因素。复杂的生物碱目标凝胶被认为是有机合成的一个经典挑战，但尽管多年来吸引了许多研究小组的注意，但仅完成了7次全合成，这些合成过程很长（通常约25步，最短的约为18步），而且效率低下。我们计划开发一种新的策略（和一些新的化学方法），使这种分子的合成过程非常短（可能只有10步）。这将对该地区产生新的“里程碑”贡献，并建立更普遍适用的合成化学。

The synthesis of compact, densely functionalised, polycyclic natural products remains a challenge to synthetic chemists, and an important stimulus for the development of new synthetic methodology and strategies. The complex alkaloid target gelsemine is regarded as a classic challenge for organic synthesis, but despite attracting the attention of numerous research groups over the years only seven total syntheses have been accomplished, and these proceed by long (typically ca. 25 steps, with the shortest being around 18 steps) and largely inefficient routes. We plan to develop a new strategy (and some novel chemistry) that would enable a very short (maybe as few as 10 steps) new synthesis of this molecule. This would generate a new 'landmark' contribution to the area, as well as establishing more generally applicable synthetic chemistry.