Total Synthesis of (?)-Acaranoic acid

Lichens are a symbiosis of fungi and algae or cyanobacteria. Lichen substances have been reported to show a wide array of biological activities including antiviral, antioxidant, antitumor action. This project aims to establish a reliable way to prepare (?)-acaranoic acid, a lichen substance isolated in 1895, from commercially available chemicals. The proposed synthesis of this natural product highlights a novel dynamic kinetic resolution via olefin hydroacylation, which can potentially deliver multiple stereocentres to the molecular architecture with excellent control over selectivity. Successful accomplishment of (?)-acaranoic acid will make it an asset for biological screenings, as well as stimulate future application of dynamic kinetic resolution exploiting C-C bond formation in target-directed synthesis.

Faculty Supervisor:

Jeremy Wulff

Student:

Partner:

University of California at Irvine

Discipline:

Physics

Sector:

Education

University:

University of Victoria

Program: