Emphasis is placed on both biomedical relevance and the advancement of organic synthesis as a science for its own sake. Substantial efforts are under way in our laboratories for the chemical synthesis and elucidation of the mechanism of action of these compounds as a first step toward understanding and controlling these phenomena. Cancer continues to be a major killer, second only to heart disease. New chemotherapeutic agents are in demand, particularly to combat drug-resistant types of cancer. Heart disease in humans has been convincingly linked to serum levels of cholesterol, and cholesterol-lowering drugs are therefore of great value for maintaining normal health.
Antibiotic resistance is a serious threat to human health, and new antibiotics are urgently needed.
Vancomycin, teicoplanin, and everninomicin are such compounds for which chemical synthesis is progressing in our laboratories. These research programs are expected to have an important impact on biology and medicine. R.M. Total synthesis of naturally occurring substances. Servicio de Publicaciones de la Universidad de Cadiz, Seville, Spain, in press . C.N.C. New synthetic technology for the construction of vancomycin-type biaryl ring systems.