Flower Power

Natural compounds have long been civilization’s companion, and yet they still evoke an aura of mystery that transcends their applications. This may have to do with their origins; take for instance the ever-dependable aspirin, hailing from the bark of the willow tree and steeped into a bitter brew since antiquity. Other molecules such as ascorbic acid, quinine, or penicillin have equally compelling provenances and colorful histories, but these compounds share another trait that contributes to their popularity: their ability to be chemically synthesized. The successful synthesis of many invaluable compounds through organic chemistry during the last century has ushered in the expectation that almost every molecule may be created on short order, without reliance on its natural source. This ambition has been partially fulfilled, as aspirin and many others are today widely available at a small cost.