[MorganFreeman]

Hello,

I am in the process of looking for unsynthesized and bioactive natural products for a synthesis proposal I have coming up quite soon.

Unfortunately, I have been looking and it is rare that I find an interesting structure that is also bioactive and has never been made.

I feel like I may be looking in the wrong places. After all, how are professors finding their compounds aside from looking in journals?

Also, if you have seen any interesting compounds, I would be happy to hear them.

Thank you

[discodermolide]

Scan the recent issues of the Journal of Natural Products, or the Natural Product Reports.
Both describe the isolation and characterisation of novel natural products. it is usually the case that the compounds reported have not yet been synthesised.

[Archer]

A large number of bioactive natural products reported are macrocyclics isolated from marine sponges. These are extremely challenging synthetic targets but the isolates are minute so a good synthesis is needed.

Also farming marine sponges has hitherto not been possible so synthesis of the natural product is needed.

You have a difficult choice, the more challenging the target the less likely someone will beat you to it. If you pick a relatively simple target then chances are some other research group may be well on their way to the total synthesis (this happened to me during my post-doc).

Try to pick something with just one or two chiral centres is my advice, for what it is worth.

Good luck!

[Enthalpy]

This is not exactly what you're seeking, because the active compound has still to be identified before synthesis, apologies...

Fudge lets me sleep in efficiently and has not the undesired side effects of benzodiazepines.

Then, you must convince the customers that ingesting the synthesized active compound is better than the fudge  . People on diet, or with diabetes...

Marc Schaefer, aka Enthalpy

[MorganFreeman]

Thanks for the help guys, after quite a bit of searching I found one.

[Enthalpy]

Another compound that must first be identified...

Artichoke has a reputation as an aphrodisiac - I'm convinced it is. It's even said to work for women, which is less common. If someone finds and synthesizes the active compound, that's a BIG money maker. One that swells a company's turnover and brings its bottom line to new heights.

Marc Schaefer, aka Enthalpy