Total Synthesis of (-)-Sarain A
Becker, M. H.; Chua, P.; Downham,   R.; Douglas, C. J.; Garg, N. K.;   Hiebert, S.; Jaroch, S.;   Matsuoka, R. T.; Middleton, J. A.;   Ng, F. W.; Overman, L. E. J. Am.   Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 11987 –   12002.

The article describes the synthesis of marine alkaloid sarain A. The purpose of the experiment was to provide a rational route towards the synthesis of sarain A in addition to overcoming problems associated with the synthesis of such a complex molecule. One such problem was ring closure. A modern approach to the commonly used olefin method of ring closure is RCM, or ring-closing metathesis. Generally, high numbered rings such as seven and eight-membered rings are difficult to close. However, with the use of a reagent known as Grubb's catalyst, ring-closing metathesis can be utilized to efficiently and effectively close a ring. This technique is used to synthesize Molecule 119 from Molecule 118.

-Created By: Azhar Carim, Hans Yadav, and Neil Daksla

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