Research Interests
The group led by Xu Shu mainly studies the total synthesis of structurally complex bioactive natural products, especially the target molecules with caged carbon skeletons. Caged structures (bridged polycyclic structures) are often abandoned during the drug design process, owing to the difficulty in their synthesis. However, their moderate structural flexibility and the easiness to form 3D multiple bindings to target protein are consistent with the trend of future drug development. The group attempts to develop concise strategies for the effective total synthesis of natural products containing caged all-carbon units, in order to provide sufficient samples for further SAR and druggability research.
Inspired by the problems and resolutions during the research of total synthesis, Xu's group is also interested in the development of organic synthetic methodologies with wide substrate-scope and practicability. Other projects undertaken by the group include innovative drug discovery and new route development for drug synthesis and drug impurity synthesis.
