Retrosynthetic analysis is a technique for solving problems in the planning of organic syntheses. This is achieved by transforming a target molecule into simpler precursor structures without assumptions regarding starting materials. Each precursor material is examined using the same method. This procedure is repeated until simple or commercially available structures are reached. E.J. Corey formalized this concept in his book The Logic of Chemical Synthesis (1995, ISBN 0-471-11594-0).

Introduction

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Just as chemical reactions can be viewed in the synthetic direction, from starting materials to products, reactions can also be viewed retrosynthetically: from products to starting materials. Likewise, entire syntheses can be viewed retrosynthetically.

The power of retrosynthetic analysis becomes evident in the design of a synthesis. The goal of retrosynthetic analysis is structural simplification. Often, a synthesis will have more than one possible synthetic routes. Retrosynthesis is well suited for discovering different synthetic routes and comparing them in a logical and straightfoward fashion.

Definitions

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Disconnection: A retrosynthetic step involving the breaking of a bond to form two (or more) synthons.

Retron: A minimal molecular substructure that enables certain transformations.

Retrosynthetic tree: A directed acyclic graph of several (or all) possible retrosyntheses of a single target.

Synthon: An idealized molecular fragment. A synthon and the corresponding commercially available material are shown below.

Target: The desired final compound.

Transform: The exact reverse of a synthetic reaction; the formation of starting materials from a single product.

Strategies

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Functional Group Strategies

Manipulation of functional groups can lead to significant reductions in molecular complexity.

Stereochemical Strategies

Numerous chemical targets have distinct stereochemical demands. Stereochemical transformations (such as the Claisen rearrangement and Mitsunobu reaction) can remove or transfer the desired chirality thus simplifying the target.

Structure-Goal Strategies

Directing a synthesis toward a desirable intermediate can greatly narrow the focus of an analysis. This allows bidirectional search techniques.

Transform-based Strategies

The application of transformations to retrosynthetic analysis can lead to powerful reductions in molecular complexity. Unfortuantely, powerful transform-based retrons are rarely present in complex molecules, and additional synthetic steps are often needed to establish their presence.

Topological Strategies

The identification one or more key bond disconnections may lead to the identification of key substructures or difficult to identify rearrangment transformations.

• Disconnections that preserve ring structures are encouraged.
• Disconnections that create rings larger than 7 members are discouraged.

General references

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• E. J. Corey, X-M. Cheng, The Logic of Chemical Synthesis, Wiley, New York, 1995, ISBN 0471115940.
• Retrosynthetic Thinking - Essentials and Examples. E. J. Corey, Chem. Soc. Rev. 1988, 17, 111-133.
• The logic of chemical synthesis: Multistep synthesis of complex carbogenic molecules (Nobel lecture). E. J. Corey, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 1991, 30, 455. (Article)

See also

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• Organic synthesis
• Total synthesis

External links

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• Centre for Molecular and Biomolecular Informatics

Organic reactions