Total synthesis of cyclopropane-containing natural products: recent progress (2016–2024)

Abstract

Cyclopropane, as the smallest all-carbon ring, is a ubiquitous functional group found in many complex natural products, such as terpenoids, alkaloids, steroids, and fatty acids. Natural products containing cyclopropane motifs have attracted burgeoning interests owing to their fascinating architectural features and versatile biological properties. In recent decades, a variety of methods for the construction of cyclopropane rings have emerged, which can be mainly classified into [2 + 1]-type cycloaddition and direct 1,3-cyclization. These methods have been extensively utilized by synthetic chemists in their pursuit of synthesizing cyclopropane-containing natural products. This review outlines recent progress in this research area, with a particular focus on the ingenious application of novel synthetic methodologies and tactics for assembling naturally occurring three-membered rings, aiming to complement existing literature in this field.