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Totally Synthetic by Paul H. Docherty, 11 December 2006

Total Synthesis of Dictyostatin

Ramachandran

P. V. Ramachandran, A. Srivastava, D. Hazra, Org. Lett. 2007, 9, 157-160.

DOI: 10.1021/ol062737k

Not a lot of new methodology, just a well put together total synthesis of Dictyostatin. This compound is a microtubule stabilizing cancer chemotherapeutic agent, which, unlike paclitaxel, does not bind to P-glycoprotein. This means that the resistance mechanisms operating on this binding mode are inoperative, making this and the related discodermolide increasingly popular targets.

Of course, other syntheses exist, with pioneering work by Paterson and Curran, and a more recent synthesis by Phillips. The approach used by Ramachandran is somewhat similar to those earlier publications, but that’s pretty much unavoidable with certain functionalities. But this is nice work, and as they state in the paper, the overall yield is around 4%; pretty good for this target!