Lecture: How a Research Project in Alkaloid Total Synthesis Evolved

My research group is interested in developing strategies for the efficient synthesis of complex natural products. This lecture will describe how an idea to solve a problem in the synthesis of a polyketide natural product during my PhD studies led to a long-term research program in heterocycle and alkaloid chemistry in my independent career. The discussion will include the discovery of some unexpected transformations, and the design and execution of syntheses of a variety of Strychnos alkaloids.