Lectures presented at the 14th International Conference on Organic
Synthesis (ICOS-14), Christchurch, New Zealand, 14-18 July 2002
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Preface
The IUPAC 14th International Conference on Organic Synthesis was held
from 14-18 July at the Christchurch Convention Centre on the south island
of New Zealand. Close to 500 delegates were treated to a superb program
of plenary lectures from Profs.Yoshito Kishi, Ben Feringa, K.C.Nicolaou,
Koichi Narasaka, William Roush, Erick Carreira, Tohru Fukuyama, Jonathan
Ellman, Albert Padwa, and Stephen Martin. The remainder of the oral
program consisted of a series of general symposia and more specialized
sessions concerned with the synthesis of bioactive molecules, combinatorial
chemistry, stereoselective synthesis, green chemistry, metal-mediated
synthesis, and automation in synthesis. A further 400 poster presentations
completed the four-day scientific program.
Prof. Yoshito Kishi began the conference with a lecture on the synthesis
of the halichondrin class of natural products. This wonderfully intricate
dissection of a complex family of compounds provided true insight into
the art that is contemporary organic synthesis. Prof. Ben Ferringa then
presented some new and important methodology for asymmetric C-C bond
formation, including 1,4-addition, epoxide ring-opening, regiodivergent
parallel kinetic bond formation, and Heck reactions. This was followed
by Prof. K.C. Nicolaou, who dazzled the audience with a particularly
colorful and informative treatise on the Diels-Alder reaction. The Tuesday
session began with Prof. Koichi Narasaka, who provided some wonderfully
simple and particularly insightful work on the synthesis of heterocycles
from oxime derivatives. Prof.William Roush then returned to the arena
of large and complex natural products and in the process discussed new
synthetic methodology involving allylboron, allylsilane, and allylstannane
chemistry. The Thieme/IUPAC lecture was delivered on Tuesday afternoon
by Prof. Erick Carreira. Prof. Carreira presented an elegant and conceptionally
brilliant approach to asymmetric catalytic C-C bond-forming reactions
involving the in situ activation of terminal acetylenes under mild conditions.
The Wednesday program began with a lecture from Prof. Tohru Fukuyama
on the total synthesis of (+)-vinblastine based on a novel radical-mediated
indole synthesis. This was followed by a presentation by Prof. Jonathan
Ellman, who described some new and particularly versatile approaches
to optically active amines. This chemistry is based on the condensation
of tert-butanesulfinamide with aldehydes and ketones to give
sulfinyl imines that then react with a range of nucleophiles with high
diastereoselectivity. The last day of the program saw two further plenary
lectures. Prof. Padwa presented an elegant approach to novel polycyclic
systems, in a single operation, based on a domino amido Pummerer/Diels-Alder
cascade sequence. The conference was brought to a conclusion with a
lecture from Prof. Stephen Martin entitled “Novel and general strategy
for the synthesis of C aryl glycosides ”. A [4+2] cycloaddition
of glycosyl furans with substituted benzynes provided the key to this
chemistry that was demonstrated in the synthesis of several natural
products. Key addresses were also presented by Profs. Paul Anastas,
Mario Bachi, Norbert de Kimpe, Charles de Koning, John Gladysz, Laurence
Harwood, Tsutomu Katsuki, David Knight, Mieczyslaw Makosza, Lewis Mander,
Goverdhan Mehta, Johann Mulzer, Junzo Otera, Mark Rizzacasa, Toshiaki
Sunazuka, Keisuke Suzuki, Takashi Takahashi, Lutz Tietze, James White,
Peter Wipf, and John Wood to provide a comprehensive array of synthetic
chemistry. The use of Heck chemistry, directed aldol chemistry, and
ring-closing metathesis seemed central to a good deal of the work presented
at the conference. These three areas are clearly central to organic
synthesis as we see it today.
The Conference was cochaired by Profs. Margaret Brimble of the University
of Auckland and Jim Coxon of Canterbury University, and the national
organizing committee comprised Prof. Rob Smith (Otago-Treasurer), Assoc.Prof.
Andrew Abell (Canterbury - Mini symposium Coordinator), Dr. Jonathan
Morris (Canterbury), Dr.Vittorio Caprio (Auckland), and Dr.Carol Taylor
(Massey). The next conference is to be held in two years time in Nagoya,
Japan on 1-6 August 2004, and planning is under way to host an expected
1500-2000 delegates.
Andrew Abell
Conference Editor
International Advisory Committee:
D. St. C. Black (Australia), T.C. Gallagher (UK), C.H. Heathcock (USA),
K.N. Houk (USA), A.R. Katritzky (USA), R. Rickards (Australia), G.W.
Simpson (Australia), A.B. Smith III (USA), P.J. Stang (USA),T. Takahashi
(Japan), Y. Yamamoto (Japan).
