Total Synthesis of 1,4-epoxy-6-Deoxypseudoanisatin

This Project aims at the completely artificial preparation (total synthesis) of the title compound, a natural product which has been isolated from Illicium dunnianum, a Chinese medicinal plant. There are two major motivations to pursue this endeavor, on the one hand the molecule of interest comprises a fascinating chemical structure that renders its construction an interesting task, and on the other hand, related compounds obtained from plants of the same botanical family have shown promising biological activities. Regarding the former point, the discipline of synthetic chemistry strives to ever improve our ability to produce chemical compounds from readily available starting materials. This faculty is highly relevant for the manufacture of medicinal products, high performance materials, (renewable) fuels and many more articles of interest. The synthesis of natural products, while not necessarily of immediate use, offers an excellent field to exercise and advance these skills. The target molecule of this project is ideally suited for this purpose, as it comprises an intricate architecture that will demand innovative approaches to build it. Moreover, similar natural products from closely related plant sources hold promise of medical applications: these metabolites exhibit neurotrophic effects, which means they are able to trigger the growth nerve tissue. Such properties could allow new treatments of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimers or Parkinsons disease. While such effects have not yet been demonstrated for the target molecule, a reliable synthetic access to the compound could facilitate the investigation of its biological properties. In conclusion, the total synthesis of 1,4-epoxy-6-deoxypseudoanisatin presents a formidable chemical challenge and could have implications for other scientific disciplines as well.