Research Project
Research topics
1. Total synthesis of natural products
2. Development of novel synthetic methods (protective groups, construction of heterocycles)
3. Design and synthesis of functional molecules (photoaffinity probes)
Total synthesis of natural products
Molecules isolated from natural sources exhibit a variety of bioactivities. Such compounds with low molecular weights, which are called natural products, have been used as medicines, and even now are important seeds for development of novel medicines. Synthetic studies of natural products and accomplishment of robust synthesis will lead to providing molecules useful for human beings in necessary amounts.
Total synthesis of natural products brings some fruits: a) development of novel methods for constructing complex structures leads to creation of molecules useful for human beings. b) seemingly simple transformations often prove difficult to be carried out when the substrates have a lot of functional groups. Pursuing the reasons and overcoming the problems polish up the reactions. c) densely functionalized molecules show unexpected reactivities, resulting in discovery of novel reactions.