Current Organic Chemistry - Volume 8, Issue 4, 2004

Epothilones exhibit high antitumor activities with the same mechanism of action as Taxol and retain a much greater toxicity against p-glycoprotein overexpressing multiple drug resistant (MDR) cells. The realization of their unique potential as antitumor agents resulted in an intense race for their total synthesis, structure modification, and biological investigation. Recently a wealth of new chemistry has been developed in the synth Read More

The solid phase peptide synthesis is based on repetitive cycles (deprotection and coupling) that cannot be monitored with the analytical methods used in organic chemistry because of the presence of the solid support. Various methods have been developed for monitoring the synthetic steps, which can be qualitative and / or quantitative destructive or non-destructive. The irreversible or destructive analytical methods are carri Read More

Renewed interest in the chemistry of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has been stimulated by recent research advances in several areas. Prominent among these are: the discovery of buckminsterfullerene and related molecules; elucidation of the mechanisms of carcinogenesis of PAHs some of which are widespread contaminants in the human environment; and syntheses of large PAH ring systems that have intere Read More

Heterocyclic enamines are versatile intermediates for the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds and natural products, which are not readily obtainable by other synthetic means. One of the most intriguing features of heterocyclic enamines is their ambident bisnucleophilicity; nucleophilic reaction can take place at the site of enaminic carbon and / or the secondary amino nitrogen. These unique reaction properties lead to i Read More

Fungal transformation of monoterpenes was less frequently studied compared to other natural products until a few decades ago due to their toxicity, volatility and general difficulty in handling. In recent years, however, researchers have paid much attention and reported the fungal transformation of acyclic, monocyclic and bicyclic monoterpene hydrocarbons, and oxygenated monoterpenes and their derivatives. Th Read More