Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 17, 2026

A Direct, Early Stage Guanidinylation Protocol for the Synthesis of Complex Aminoguanidine-containing Natural Products
Published on: September 9, 2016
Discoveries from the Abyss: The Abyssomicins and Their Total Synthesis
K C Nicolaou1, Scott T Harrison, Jason S Chen
1Department of Chemistry and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037 & Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093.
Abstract:
Abyssomicin C is a recently discovered antibiotic with promising antibacterial activity, high structural complexity, and a novel mechanism of action. We give an account of our abyssomicin campaign and some of the discoveries that were borne of our total synthesis efforts, including a new Lewis acid-templated Diels-Alder reaction, the previously undescribed atrop-abyssomicin C, a facile Brønsted acid-catalyzed isomerization of abyssomicin C, and clarification of the likely biosynthetic origin of abyssomicin D.
Related Concept Videos
Preparation of Amides
The DCC-promoted synthesis of amides begins with the protonation of DCC by carboxylic acid. The protonation makes it a better acceptor. Next, the addition of carboxylate to the protonated carbodiimide gives a reactive acylating agent.
Subsequently, the amine acts as a nucleophile that attacks the acylating agent to form a tetrahedral intermediate. In the...
Preparation of 1° Amines: Hofmann and Curtius Rearrangement Overview
Preparation of 1° Amines: Azide Synthesis
Azide ions act as good nucleophiles and react with unhindered alkyl halides to form alkyl azides. Alkyl azides do not participate in further nucleophilic substitution reactions, thereby eliminating the chances of polyalkylated products. Alkyl azides are reduced by hydride-based reducing agents, like lithium aluminum...
