Alkaloid Derivatives: Synthesis and Application

Dear Colleagues,

Alkaloids belong to a class of naturally-occurring organic compounds, containing basic nitrogen atoms. They are produced by the secondary metabolism of living organisms. Many of them have an outstanding pharmacological activity and are used in traditional as well as modern medicine. Their essential chemical frameworks are often considered as pharmacophores and starting points for new drug discoveries. This stimulates the development of synthetic methodologies for further transformations of native alkaloids, mostly isolated from plants. Another synthetic approach adopted in medicinal chemistry applies the semi-total syntheses of the alkaloid precursors. These derivatives are transformed into libraries of compounds for biological screening.

Yet another use of the easily available natural alkaloids is a chiral recognition process. This includes separation of racemates and their application as chiral catalysts. Cinchona alkaloids have especially found many prominent applications in this field. Among them are Cinchona dimers used in the metal-catalyzed reaction, e.g., the Sharpless dihydroxylation as well as thioureas and square acid amides exploited as organocatalysts.

Both fields are still under viable development and new manuscripts (articles or reviews) that discuss innovative synthetic methodologies for assembling or transforming alkaloids with potential applications in catalysis and medicine are therefore welcome.

Prof. Jacek Skarżewski
Guest Editor

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