Selective cytotoxic metabolites plakortethers (such as Plakortether A, 1) and antibiotic Pseudomonic acid C, 3 are both structurally and biologically interesting compounds.

Synthetic studies towards these two bioactive compounds will be presented in this poster. The synthetic approach to Plakorthethers is based on hidden symmetry of the molecule (via symmetric intermediates like 2) while the approach to the core of Pseudomonic acid C from cheap and abundant L-tartaric acid relies on elegant radical cyclization (Scheme 1).