Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 20, 2026

Synthesis of Indoxyl-glycosides for Detection of Glycosidase Activities
Published on: May 27, 2015
Synthesis of Hemigossypol and its Derivatives
Jun Wei1, David L Vander Jagt, Robert E Royer
1Department of Chemistry, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131.
Abstract:
Hemigossypol (3), a sesquiterpene natural product, was previously isolated from Gossypium barbadense and was shown to display improved anti-fungal activity compared to gossypol (1), the disesquiterpene dimer of hemigossypol (3). Gossypol exhibits multiple biological activities. In order to study whether hemigossypol and it derivatives retain the various bioactivities of gossypol, we developed a short and convenient synthetic scheme to synthesize hemigossypol. This is the first de novo synthesis of this natural product. In addition derivatives of hemigossypol with various 2,5-alkyl substituents were synthesized. Modification of the synthetic scheme also afforded the natural product hemigossylic lactone (4) and its 2,5-substituted derivatives.
Related Concept Videos
Biosynthesis of Polysaccharides
Dehydration Synthesis
Dehydration synthesis (also called a condensation reaction) is the chemical process in which two molecules covalently link together to form a new molecule, along with the release of a water molecule. Many physiologically important compounds form by dehydration synthesis reactions, such as complex carbohydrates, proteins, DNA, and RNA.
Synthesis of carbohydrates
Sugar molecules are covalently linked together by dehydration synthesis. During the reaction, the hydroxyl (-OH) group from...
Insulin: Biosynthesis, Chemistry, and Preparation
Damage or functional impairment of β-cells inhibits insulin production, leading to diabetes. Diabetes treatment primarily uses...
Preparation of Epoxides
Epoxides result from alkene oxidation, which can be achieved by a) air, b) peroxy acids, c) hypochlorous acids, and d) halohydrin cyclization.
Epoxidation with Peroxy Acids
Epoxidation of alkenes via oxidation with peroxy acids involves the conversion of a carbon–carbon double bond to an epoxide using the oxidizing agent meta-chloroperoxybenzoic acid, commonly known as MCPBA. Since the O–O bond of peroxy acids is very weak, the addition of electrophilic oxygen of peroxy acids to...
Oxidation of Alkenes: Syn Dihydroxylation with Osmium Tetraoxide
Preparation of Aldehydes and Ketones from Alcohols, Alkenes, and Alkynes
