page_title: Total synthesis of morphine and related alkaloids
hierarchical_section_title: Total synthesis of morphine and related alkaloids
context_page_description: Synthesis of morphine-like alkaloids in chemistry describes the total synthesis of the natural morphinan class of alkaloids that includes codeine, morphine, oripavine, and thebaine and the closely related semisynthetic analogs methorphan, buprenorphine, hydromorphone, hydrocodone, isocodeine, naltrexone, nalbuphine, oxymorphone, oxycodone, and naloxone.
  The structure of morphine is not particularly complex, however the electrostatic polarization of adjacent bonded atoms does not alternate uniformly throughout the structure. This "dissonant connectivity" makes bond formation more difficult and therefore significantly complicates any synthetic strategy that is applied to this family of molecules.
  The first morphine total synthesis, devised by Marshall D. Gates, Jr. in 1952 remains a widely used example of total synthesis. This synthesis took a total of 31 steps and proceeded in 0.06% overall yield. The hydrocodone synthesis of Kenner C. Rice is one of the most efficient and proceeds in 30% overall yield in 14 steps. At 9 steps, the Barriault route is the shortest to date, but contains a number of low-yielding steps.
context_section_description: Synthesis of morphine-like alkaloids in chemistry describes the total synthesis of the natural morphinan class of alkaloids that includes codeine, morphine, oripavine, and thebaine and the closely related semisynthetic analogs methorphan, buprenorphine, hydromorphone, hydrocodone, isocodeine, naltrexone, nalbuphine, oxymorphone, oxycodone, and naloxone.
  The structure of morphine is not particularly complex, however the electrostatic polarization of adjacent bonded atoms does not alternate uniformly throughout the structure.  This "dissonant connectivity" makes bond formation more difficult and therefore significantly complicates any synthetic strategy that is applied to this family of molecules.
  The first morphine total synthesis, devised by Marshall D. Gates, Jr. in 1952 remains a widely used example of total synthesis.  This synthesis took a total of 31 steps and proceeded in 0.06% overall yield. The hydrocodone synthesis of Kenner C. Rice is one of the most efficient and proceeds in 30% overall yield in 14 steps.  At 9 steps, the Barriault route is the shortest to date, but contains a number of low-yielding steps.
  Several other syntheses were reported, notably by the research groups of  Evans, Fuchs, Parker, Overman, Mulzer-Trauner, White, Taber, Trost, Fukuyama, Guillou, Stork, Magnus, Smith, and Barriault.
caption: Morphine