Recent progress in the total synthesis of Strychnos alkaloids

Abstract

The fascinating structure of Strychnos alkaloids has evoked immense synthetic interest from the chemical community since the landmark synthesis of strychnine by Woodward. After that, the pursuit of the total synthesis of Strychnos alkaloids has never stopped. In this context, the synthesis of strychnine has become a benchmark for the evaluation of new synthetic strategies. Furthermore, the characteristic structure of these alkaloids has also served as an inspiration for the development of novel synthetic methodologies, which provide new synthetic strategies for the synthesis of Strychnos alkaloids. In this article, the recent progress in the total synthesis of Strychnos alkaloids since 2011 is reviewed, including successful total syntheses and synthetic efforts toward Strychnos alkaloids. According to the key feature employed in the synthesis, the content was categorized into novel synthetic methodologies and innovative strategies based on well-documented methodologies.