Atta-ur-Rahman 
Studies in Natural Products Chemistry 
Stereoselective Synthesis

Studies in Natural Products Chemistry, Volume 14: Stereoselective Synthesis, Part I is a collection of discourses on the stereoselective synthesis of the anticancer anthrucycline antibiotics; tetramic acid antibiotics; 3-and 4-deoxyhexoses; polysaccharides; levoglucosenone as precursor to natural products; synthesis of oligoribonucleotides; and oxidation of guaiazulene. This volume deals with a broad range of natural products focusing on the synthesis of antibiotics and anticancer agents – anthracyclines, tetramic acid, taxodione, vinblastine, and vincristine. These aforementioned drugs are used for the treatment of cancer (anthracyclines) and Hodgkin’s disease and childhood acute leukemia (vinblastine and vincristine). The importance of the latest developments in the stereocontrolled synthesis of polysaccharides is discussed as polysaccharides play a fundamental role in cell life and have many technical applications. The synthesis of bioactive carbohydrates 3- and 4-deoxy-hexoses is compared with the more occurring deoxyhexoses in nature such as the 2-deoxy, 6-deoxy, and 2, 6-dideoxy-hexoses, because the former are rare compounds and useful tools in the study of biological and biochemical properties of mono- and oligosaccharides, glycoproteins, and antibiotics. Alkaloids derived from Apocynaceae are known for their medicinal properties; hence the synthetic approaches to vinblastine and vincristine are discussed. Because of the minute amounts available from herbal sources, efforts toward their chemical synthesis are given more reference. This book can be a useful reference for the organic chemists. Chemical researchers, pharmaceutical scientists, and professionals of bioorganic chemistry will likewise gain a lot from this collection.