Abstract

The cephalostatins ( Cephalodicus gilchristi ) and the agelorins (Agelas oroides ) represent two groups of marine natural products showing high biological activity. The total synthesis of enantiopure analogues reveals for the cephalostatins and the decisive role of molecular dissymmetry and of a chiral curvature, while the agelorins were shown to be prodrugs, which under stress conditions are undergoing an enzymatically induced fragmentation, generating the highly active cyclohexadiene aeroplysinin. Finally a simple diversity oriented enantioselective synthesis of wistarin precursor is reported.