Asymmetric synthesis of all four isomers of topographically constrained novel amino acids: β-isopropyltyrosines

C-H activation: a complementary tool in the total synthesis of complex natural products

The recent advent of transition-metal mediated C-H activation is revolutionizing the synthetic field and gradually infusing a "C-H activation mind-set" in both students and practitioners of organic synthesis. As a powerful testament of this emerging synthetic tool, applications of C-H activation in the context of total synthesis of complex natural products are beginning to blossom. Herein, recently completed total syntheses showcasing creative and ingenious incorporation of C-H activation as a strategic manoeuver are compared with their "non-C-H activation" counterparts, illuminating a new paradigm in strategic synthetic design.

Organic chemistry and biology: chemical biology through the eyes of collaboration

From a scientific perspective, efforts to understand biology including what constitutes health and disease has become a chemical problem. However, chemists and biologists "see" the problems of understanding biology from different perspectives, and this has retarded progress in solving the problems especially as they relate to health and disease. This suggests that close collaboration between chemists and biologists is not only necessary but essential for progress in both the biology and chemistry that will provide solutions to the global questions of biology. This perspective has directed my scientific efforts for the past 45 years, and in this overview I provide my perspective of how the applications of synthetic chemistry, structural design, and numerous other chemical principles have intersected in my collaborations with biologists to provide new tools, new science, and new insights that were only made possible and fruitful by these collaborations.

Syntheses of optically pure, conformationally constrained, and highly hydrophobic unusual amino acids: 2-amino-3, 3-diarylpropionic acids*

A series of optically pure, conformationally constrained, and highly hydrophobic unusual aromatic amino acids, 2-amino-3,3-diarylpropionic acids, were synthesized via asymmetric 1,4-Michael addition reaction/azidation reactions in seven steps with overall yields of 20-30%.

Asymmetric synthesis of chiral 4-substituted 5,5-diethyl oxazolidin-2-ones as potential effective chiral auxiliaries

Four new chiral 4-substituted 5,5-diethyl oxazolidin-2-ones (5a-5d) as potential effective chiral auxiliaries were synthesized from readily available amino acids via asymmetric etherification, Boc protection, Grignard reaction and cyclization reactions in four steps with overall yields of 50-60%.