What is the Rationale for Total Synthesis

Although these utilitarian reasons are often cited for a synthesis, the challenging problems usually encountered in a total synthesis provide many opportunities to find new reactions, processes, or strategies which may be of value to other organic chemists. Corey and Wipke stated a few of the u.seful applications that may be found in a retrosynthetic analysis-synthesis problem.Many of the.se may be useful in solving problems for another target or in applications to a completely different area of organic chemistry. 

A similar fundamental basis for total synthesis was described by Deslongchamps. 

It is often true, however, that synthesis of a particular target is of paramount importance to an individual or organization. The criteria for that importance is always obvious to the researcher(s). To one beginning a study of organic reactions and synthesis, however, it may be of value to examine several commonly quoted criteria for synthesis. These criteria, along with Corey s and Deslongchamps evaluations, provide a reasonable answer to question (1). The disconnection approach in its several forms will be used to address Question 2. 

In addition to the eight molecules shown in the introduction, six molecules are shown as representative examples of the wide variety of organic molecules that have been synthetic targets. Dysidiolide (9), isolated 

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