Research Projects

Natural products, which are secondary metabolites produced by organisms for defense or adaptation purposes, are a rich source of potent compounds with complex architectures that have demonstrated significant biological activities. However, the scarce availability of these natural materials poses a challenge for synthetic chemists to take up total synthesis for future investigations. Organic synthesis provides a solution by providing ample amounts of natural materials through total synthesis. The approach where intermediates are used for analogue synthesis may yield good results and generate useful data for pharmaceutical research. Various research groups are exploring the possibility of identifying new clinical entities using various means, including natural sources, synthetic, and semi-synthetic methods. Synthetic organic chemists are currently engaged in target-oriented synthesis, diversity-based synthesis, and other methods. Various drug candidates have been discovered, including Taxol, Epothilone, Camptothecin, Podophylotoxin, Lovastatin, Migrastatin, Halichondrin, Bryostatin, Sorangicin A, Psymberin, Eribulin, Ambruticin, Leucascandrolide A, Apicularen A, and Exiguolide. The current proposal aims to pursue total synthesis and develop strategies for the synthesis of Macrolactin 3, Pochonin J, Cryptorigidifoliol G, H, and J, Diplopyrone, Indanomycin, Zincophorin, and other natural products and their analogues for applications in human health. The group is interested in exploring the potential of polyketide natural products as cancer chemotherapeutic, antimalarial, and antitubercular agents.