Natural product synthesis

Vedoucí výzkumného programu: Jiří Pospíšil

Our research program aims to develop and apply new synthetic procedures and protocols enabling the preparation of a wide variety of plant secondary metabolites, phytohormones and their derivatives. In particular, we focus on the synthesis and synthetic modifications of phenylpropanoid-type secondary metabolites produced biosynthetically in Shikimate pathway. Our goal is to develop methods for simple, rapid, and stereodivergent synthesis of phenylpropanoid monomers and their dimers – especially those belonging to the class of lignans and neolignans. Short and efficient phenylpropanoid library construction will allow us not only to quickly identify these biomolecules within the plant metabolome, but also it will serve as a source of the compounds for biological testing. The aim of these tests will be to determine the possible interference or influence of these compounds with human health and well-being.

The second part of our research deals with the synthesis and modification of phytohormones derived from gibberellic acid. Our goal is to prepare structural derivatives of this class of phytohormones to allow us (a) to study the mechanism of their interaction, and (b) to modify the vegetative cycle of plants. These molecules and their derivatives can potentially be used in agriculture, since they are involved in the natural process of breaking dormancy and other aspects of germination.