Pseudo Natural Products—Chemical Evolution of Natural Product Structure

Pseudo-natural products (PNPs) combine natural product (NP) fragments in novel arrangements not accessible by current biosynthesis pathways. As such they can be regarded as non-biogenic fusions of NP-derived fragments. They inherit key biological characteristics the guiding product, chemical and physiological properties, yet define small molecule chemotypes with unprecedented or unexpected bioactivity. We iterate design principles underpinning PNP scaffolds highlight their syntheses investigations. provide a cheminformatic analysis collections assessing molecular properties shape diversity. propose discuss how iterative NP structure, design, synthesis, evaluation PNPs human-driven branch evolution products, that is, structure.