Marine natural products are characterized by high chemical diversity, biochemical specificity, and other molecular properties that make them favorable as lead structures for drug discovery. In this field, one of the main problems is often the reduced natural availability of isolated substances, which can complicate both the structural characterization and possible future developments. For these reasons, the study of bioactive marine metabolites should rely on the development of chemical synthesis and synthetic strategies aimed at the preparation of pure compounds and analogs both for structural confirmation and/or for the large-scale preparation necessary for future applications. Moreover, natural products can be a crucial starting point for the preparation of molecules structurally inspired by the latter, opening the path to new classes of biologically active compounds with pharmacological potential. This book collects original research articles regarding synthetic strategies for secondary marine metabolites and/or analogs that favor applications of these molecules and/or solve structural challenges common in the field of natural substances.

Marine natural products are characterized by high chemical diversity, biochemical specificity, and other molecular properties that make them favorable as lead structures for drug discovery. In this field, one of the main problems is often the reduced natural availability of isolated substances, which can complicate both the structural characterization and possible future developments. For these reasons, the study of bioactive marine metabolites should rely on the development of chemical synthesis and synthetic strategies aimed at the preparation of pure compounds and analogs both for structural confirmation and/or for the large-scale preparation necessary for future applications. Moreover, natural products can be a crucial starting point for the preparation of molecules structurally inspired by the latter, opening the path to new classes of biologically active compounds with pharmacological potential. This book collects original research articles regarding synthetic strategies for secondary marine metabolites and/or analogs that favor applications of these molecules and/or solve structural challenges common in the field of natural substances.

Biotechnology may be defined as the application of scientific and engineering principles to the processing of materials by biological agents to provide goods and services (Bullet al. , 1982, p. 21) or as any technique that uses living organisms (or parts of organisms) to make or modify products, to improve plants or animals, or to develop microorganisms for specific use (OTC, 1988). In line with these broad definitions we can consider marine biotechnology as the use of marine organisms or their constituents for useful purposes in a controlled fashion. This series will explore a range of scientific advances in support of marine biotechnology. It will provide information on advances in three categories: (1) basic knowledge, (2) ap plied research and development, and (3) commercial and institutional issues. We hope the presentation of the topics will generate interest and interaction among readers in the academic world, government, and industry. This first volume examines chemical and biological properties of some natural products that are useful or potentially useful in research and in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. One chapter describes a system for producing such substances on a large scale. Biotechnology incorporates molecular biology in order to go beyond tradi tional biochemical technology such as the production of antibiotic drugs from bacterial cultures in bioreactors. Development of the technology for production of antibiotics in this way resulted from fundamental advances in chemistry, phar macology, microbiology, and biochemical engineering.

This book is a compilation of the latest achievements of leading researchers in marine natural products with extremely diverse structures and biological activities. It presents discussions of isolation, structure elucidation, biosynthesis, total synthesis, and biochemical properties of the compounds with characteristic structures such as macrolides, cyclic depsipeptides, alkaloids, and water-soluble heterocyclic low-molecular-weight compounds, from sponges, bacteria, cyanobacteria, flagellates, and other such organisms. The book especially focuses on heterocyclic natural products as a title in the book series, Topics in Heterocyclic Chemistry.

Volumes five and six of Bioorganic Marine Chemistry differ from their predecessors in two respects - they deal exclusively with laboratory synthesis of marine natural products and they represent the effort of a single author and his associates. The rationale for these departures is readily perceived. For several decades organic synthesis has without doubt been the most spectacular branch of organic chemistry. While the late R.B. Woodward's dictum - organic compounds can undergo only four basic reactions: they can gain electrons; they can lose electrons; they can be transformed with acid or with base - is still true, the wealth and variety of available reagents which will accomplish chemical transformations has reached staggering proportions. Little wonder then, that synthetic methodology has achieved a high degree of predictability and total synthesis of natural products has been successfully directed toward ever more challenging targets. As for the second point, that of single authorship, multiple authorship would invariably have led to gaps and overlaps, thus making it difficult to assemble and assess recent research in a systematic and comprehens ive fashion.

Bioactive Marine Natural Products is the first book available that covers all aspects of bioactive marine natural products. It fills the void in the literature for bioactive marine natural products. The book covers various aspects of marine natural products and it is hoped that all the major classes of bioactive compounds are included. Different classes of marine organisms and the separation and isolation techniques are discussed. The chemistry and biology of marine toxins, peptides, alkaloids, nucleosides and prostanoids are discussed in detail. Biological, toxicological and clinical evaluations are also dealt with to ensure that the book may be adopted at any stage by any practicing organic chemist or biologist, working in academia or in R and D divisions of pharmaceutical companies. Each chapter in the book includes an abstract to highlight the major points discussed in the text and concluding remarks are given. References to books, monographs, review articles and original papers are provided at the end of each chapter.