'Yer a Chemist Harry!

You are an aspiring chem-wizard about to take your O.W.L.s (Organic Wizarding Level Examinations) in the class "Potions: The Total Brewery of Maeocrystal V" or POT 420 ... and 3/4. The task is to synthesize a most complex and difficult potion: Maoecrystal V.

Maoecrystal V

This is Maoecrystal V. It is a draught of healing, with potential to kill cancerous cells. It has been shown to be remarkably selective in its toxicity to HeLa cells—cervical cancerous cells taken from the ancient witch Henrietta Lacks. Maoecrystal V is derived from the herb Isodon eriocalyx (1).

Due to its compelling structure and qualities, along with the difficulties in extracting Maoecrystal V from Isodon eriocalyx, witches and wizards have begun attempting to synthesize this diterpenoid. Check the references for a list of the predominant potions masters who have undertaken this task.

It looks like Professor Snape has begun timing!  Time to roll up your sleeves and begin the key step in the total synthesis of maeocrystal V.  The portion of the reaction you are attempting is shown below.  Good luck!

 

 

 

 

1) Li, S; Wang, J; Niu, X; Shen, Y; Zhang, H; Sun, H; Li, M; Tian, Q; Lu, Y; Cao, P; Zheng, Q. Org. Lett. 2004, 6, 4327-4330.

2) Zheng, C.; Dubovyk, I.; Lazarski, K.; Thomson, R. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2014, 136, 17750-17756.