During the last decades a large number of new synthetic methodologies have been developed, allowing the synthesis of very complex molecules in higher yields and lower number of steps. Are we going to achive a level where all molecules could be synthetised in a reproducible and "perfect' way?
for the Ideal Synthesis: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jo1006812
Exploit hidden reactivity/selectivity, minimum protection/deprotection/oxidation state manipulations, good rhythm and flow
Makes A chemist satisfaction, happy for his/ her creativity in kitchen of chemistry in very economical, ecofriendly way and if it is commercial and with lots of application then ......good icing cake.
I think it's possible that all molecules can be synthesized. Thanks to the efforts of organic chemists in the development of new chemical processes and transformations, such as the CH bond functionalization or scalable synthesis of complex products. The work done in the laboratories of Phillip Baran´s group are very interesting in this regard. http://www.scripps.edu/baran/html/publications.html
for the Ideal Synthesis: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jo1006812
We have, as chemist, made major progresses in the last one or 2 decades but there is still a long way to go if we would like to match mother nature....
No it is not possible because whenever we synthesis new molecules, with them have different entiety which could be interfear and if we do this it might be very critical to seperate and achieving goal. It may be dangerous
I think that Carlos' link gives very relevant answer.
My personal view is that there is no general answer. I mean that the answer to this question strongly depends upon the purpose of the total synthesis.
• If we need compound for testing and we know it is the best candidate: easily scalable and very robust.
• To get molecule for SAR study: the approach should allow us to alternate or modulate as many parts of the molecule as possible. In the same moment, our approach should not change much
• To get molecule for fun: surprising retrosynthesis, very elegant remote control of the chirality, a key step which is extraordinary,… Not how many steps we need to get substrate for the key step, it is different story
• …
I think that the approach in which the given total synthesis was accomplished must be judged according to the purpose. Because, if we need the given molecule fast and for whichever cost, its synthesis shall not take too long. In my eyes, even if the synthesis is the most efficient and elegant in the world but it takes 10-20 years to develop it, the original requirements for total synthesis of the given compound were not fulfilled.
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