A fully diastereoselective total synthesis of the lycorenine-type Amaryllidaceae alkaloid (+/-)-clivonine (19) is reported via a route that employs for the first time a biomimetic ring-switch from a lycorine-type progenitor, thereby corroborating experimentally the biogenetic hypothesis first expounded for these compounds by Barton in 1960.

We report the first asymmetric, total synthesis of (-)-isosilybin A. A late-stage catalytic biomimetic cyclization of a highly functionalized chalcone is employed to form the characteristic benzopyranone ring. A robust and flexible approach to this chalcone provides an entry to the preparation of the entire isomeric family of silybin natural products.

Here we report a biomimetic method to synthesize core-shell CdSe/ZnS semiconductor nanocrystals using a bi-functional peptide; the resulting nanocrystals had a defect free crystallinity and a clearly observed core-shell structure; the results are significant as this is the first report of core-shell semiconductor nanocrystal synthesis using a peptide template.

An efficient synthetic approach to the tricyclic core 8 of lateriflorone is described. Essential to the synthesis was the implementation of a biomimetic tandem Claisen/Diels-Alder reaction that produced the desired tricyclic scaffold as a single isomer. A rationalization of the excellent regio and stereoselectivity of this transformation is also proposed. [reaction: see text]

A straightforward procedure based on the formation of intramolecular hydrogen bonds to impart selectivity in the preparation of multi-functionalized porphyrins has been developed. To illustrate the concept, the synthesis of a biomimetic artificial photosynthetic model able to undergo electron and proton transfer reactions upon irradiation is reported.

A bioinspired enantioselective synthesis of crinine-type alkaloids has been developed by iridium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of racemic cycloenones. The method features a biomimetic stereodivergent resolution of the substrates bearing a remote arylated quaternary stereocenter. Using this protocol, 24 crinine-type alkaloids and 8 analogues were synthesized in a concise and rapid way with ...

The self-assembly of colloidal particles is a route to designed materials production that combines high flexibility, cost effectiveness, and the opportunity to create ordered structures at length scales ranging from nano- to micrometers. For many practical applications in electronics, photovoltaics, and biomimetic material synthesis, ordered mono- and bilayers are often needed. Here we present ...