**Preface to "Synthesis of Marine Natural Products and Molecules Inspired by Marine Substances II"**

The sea covers more than 70% of Earth's surface and contains more than 300,000 organisms with huge biodiversity. These organisms represent an enormous tank of substances whose chemical structures are the result of the enormous ecological pressure for survival. Given their high chemical diversity, biological activity, biochemical specificity and other crucial molecular properties, marine natural products have always played a crucial role in the search and discovery of novel bioactive molecules that are potentially useful for pharmacological applications. In fact, the development of new 'lead' compounds from the sea has always been and is one of the main purposes of drug discovery.

The study and advanced progress of these products cannot be separated from the development of chemical synthesis and synthetic strategies aimed at the preparation and optimization of these substances and/or analogs, leading the way to new classes of biologically active compounds with pharmacological potential.

> **Emiliano Manzo** *Editor*
