Total synthesis of bryostatin 3

Abstract

Stitching alkynes into bryostatin 3 The bryostatin family of marine natural products has been explored for a wide variety of pharmaceutical applications but remains challenging to source. The general structure comprises a macrocycle that contains three smaller, six-membered rings. Bryostatin 3 is distinguished by the added complexity of a fourth, fused lactone ring. Trost et al. report a convergent synthesis of this complex molecule, taking advantage of alkyne coupling reactions to stitch together three main fragments and asymmetric dihydroxylation and propargylation reactions to set stereochemistry. Science , this issue p. 1007