New Synthetic Strategies for Sugars and Heterocycles

The vast majority of physiologically active molecules contain at least a heterocycle within their skeletons, and the structure of the ring typically dictates its function. On the other hand, approximately one-fifth of all natural products are glycosylated, and the carbohydrates associated with these compounds are often essential for their biological activity. Despite the advances made in the field, the conventional synthetic logic of sugars and heterocycles relies on specialized substrates and cumbersome protecting-group strategies, leading to problems such as lengthy synthetic routes, limited scope and excessive waste generation. Thus, there is compelling demand to devise new synthetic strategies that address these challenges. In this talk, I will present an overview of my group’s recent efforts in developing innovative approaches using earth-abundant catalysis and radical chemistry to access prized saccharides, heterocycles and their analogues.