Muscarine, imidazole, oxazole and thiazole alkaloids

The total synthesis of siphonazole, a structurally unusual bis-oxazole natural product

The first synthesis of the unusual bis-oxazole natural product siphonazole is reported, both oxazole rings being constructed using rhodium carbene chemistry.

Marine natural products

This review covers the literature published in 2005 for marine natural products, with 704 citations (493 for the period January to December 2005) referring to compounds isolated from marine microorganisms and phytoplankton, green algae, brown algae, red algae, sponges, coelenterates, bryozoans, molluscs, tunicates and echinoderms. The emphasis is on new compounds (812 for 2005), together with their relevant biological activities, source organisms and country of origin. Biosynthetic studies, first syntheses, and syntheses that lead to the revision of structures or stereochemistries, have been included.

Synthesis and Fluorescent Properties of a New Class of Heterocycles of Isoindole Fused Imidazoles with Phenolic Subunits

A new class of heterocycles of isoindole fused imidazoles with phenolic subunits has been readily synthesized by a two-step one-pot reaction. In aprotic solvent they show high fluorescent properties (Phi(F) up to 0.93), but in protic polar solvent fluorescent intensity decreases. They show green fluorescence in weak acidic medium such as acetic acid but lack emission in basic medium. The compounds can also stain human squamous epithelium cells.

Discovery of an imidazo-phenanthridine synthon produced in a 'five-step one-pot reaction' leading to a new family of heterocycles with novel physical properties

A new class of heterocyclic aromatic cation with novel physical properties has been constructed by an unprecedented reaction pathway that proceeds via five spontaneous steps to yield a 'synthon' that can be further derivatised by a final nucleophilic substitution step.