Recent Advances in Sustainable Total Synthesis and Chiral Pool Strategies with Emphasis on (–)‐Sclareol in Natural Products Synthesis

Abstract

Starting materials for sustainable total synthesis often come from the chiral pool: carbohydrates, cyclitols, amino acids, and terpenes. In the terpene family, (–)‐sclareol has served as a sustainable, readily available, and versatile chiral building block for the synthesis of numerous natural products. (–)‐Sclareol possesses a unique structure that has consequently promoted its integration as a core framework within various structurally complex and biologically active substances, including sesquiterpenoids, diterpenoids, and sesterterpenoids. In fact, (–)‐sclareol has facilitated access to diverse synthetic key intermediates, promoting the sustainable synthesis of several natural products. Herein, a critical and comprehensive review is presented covering the recent trends in sustainable total syntheses and the chiral pool approaches with emphasis on the synthesis of natural products through diverse synthetic routes employing (–)‐sclareol as chiral educt. Additionally, newly developed catalysts and synthetic protocols using (–)‐sclareol amongst their substrates scope are also analyzed and discussed in this review.