Chemical Society Seminar: Dr. Dirk Trauner - Complexity from Cascades

The development of new synthetic methodology is a major goal in chemistry but the definition of powerful synthetic strategies is equally important, at least with respect to procuring complex molecules. Using a range of alkaloids, terpenoids, and polyketides as examples, I will demonstrate that cascade reactions are unsurpassed in generating molecular complexity, providing effervescent molecules rich in sp3-hybridized carbons from much simpler, flatter, and largely sp or sp2 hybridized precursors.