Organic synthesis

Organic synthesis is the construction of organic molecules via chemical processes. Organic molecules can often contain a higher level of complexity compared to purely inorganic compounds, so the synthesis of organic compounds has developed into one of the most important aspects of organic chemistry. There are two main areas of research fields within the general area of organic synthesis- total synthesis and methodology.

Asymmetric synthesis

Many complex natural products occur as one pure enantiomer. Traditionally, however, a total synthesis could not easily make only a complex molecules as a racemic mixture, i.e., as an equal mixture of both possible enantiomer forms. The racemic mixture might then be separated via chiral resolution.

Related Topics:
Enantiomer - Racemic - Chiral resolution

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In the latter half of the twentieth century, chemists began to develop methods of asymmetric catalysis and kinetic resolution whereby reactions could be directed to produce only one enantiomer rather than a racemic mixture. Early examples include Sharpless epoxidation (K. Barry Sharpless) and asymmetric hydrogenation (William S. Knowles and Ryoji Noyori), and these workers went on to share the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2001 for their discoveries. Such reactions gave chemists a much wider choice of enantiomerically pure molecules to start from, where previously only natural starting materials could be used. Using techniquess pioneered by Robert B. Woodward and new developments in synthetic methodology, chemists became more able to take simple molecules through to more complex molecules without unwanted racemisation, by understanding stereocontrol. This allowed the final target molecule to be synthesised as one pure enantiomer without any resolution being necessary. Such techniques are referred to as asymmetric synthesis.

Related Topics:
Catalysis - Kinetic resolution - Sharpless epoxidation - K. Barry Sharpless - Hydrogenation - William S. Knowles - Ryoji Noyori - Nobel Prize in Chemistry - Robert B. Woodward - Stereocontrol

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