Our research program focuses on synthetic organic chemistry: development of new synthetic methods, novel synthetic strategies and total synthesis of biologically active and structurally interesting natural products. The broad goals of our program are improving synthetic efficiency by refining and advancing chemical synthesis methods and strategies and then testing those advances in the realm of complex molecule synthesis, particularly molecules with important biological properties and unusual structural features.

The control of stereochemistry in a relative and absolute sense is of primary importance in modern synthetic chemistry. To that end, a variety of methods are under investigation in our laboratory. These include the identification of innovative stereocontrol elements in intramolecular photocycloaddition reactions and their application to the synthesis of complex polycyclic natural products such as CP-263,114 and ginkgolide B. The development of a powerful new strategy that combines acyclic stereocontrol reactions with a catalytic olefin metathesis is also under investigation. The enantioselective synthesis of biologically important natural and synthetic carbocycles and heterocycles, with specific emphasis on the construction of medium ring ethers can be accomplished through this strategy. We are also actively pursuing novel methods for the enantioselective synthesis of highly substituted spiroketals from gamma-pyrones for the synthesis of antitumor polyketides such as spongistatin 1 and leucascandrolide A.