Combining biocatalytic and radical retrosynthesis for efficient chemoenzymatic synthesis of natural products

Abstract

Retrosynthetic strategies are intimately tied to the tools and methods available at the time of their conception. Recent methodological advancements in both radical and biocatalytic reactions have created numerous possibilities for new and unconventional disconnections. Thus, it comes as no surprise that their applications in multi-step syntheses have allowed many complex molecules to be built in ingenious ways. This review summarizes recent case studies wherein radical-based and enzymatic transformations are combined strategically in multi-step sequences to achieve efficient total syntheses of complex natural products.