Chemo-enzymatic total syntheses of bis-tetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloids and systematic exploration of the substrate scope of SfmC

Tetrahedron looking back, Tetrahedron Chem looking forward

“…The axial chirality thread continues in a study by John Fossey and co-workers on the restricted rotation of axially chiral atropisomeric 1,5-disubstituted triazole systems [5], and C-H activation is exploited by Georg Manolikakes and colleagues, who report a C-H-functionalization and synthesis of sulfonylated N-heterocycles in an operationally simple one-pot procedure [6]. Hiroki Oguri reports his team's successful efforts towards chemo-enzymatic total synthesis of bis-tetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloids [7], and Tim Newhouse and co-workers disclose a concise synthesis of (À)-melazolide B and (À)-actinidiolide [8]. Catalysis is well represented, as Liu-Zhu Gong and co-workers report a modular route to chiral cyclopentanes by palladium and chiral squaramide relay catalysis [9].…”