FSU’s James Frederich and his team are the first to fully synthesize fusicoccadiene, a precursor molecule to fusicoccanes, a family of natural molecules stemming from fungi that hold potential in biomedical applications. Several fusicoccanes can induce death in cancer cells. However, fusicoccadiene’s complex structure is very difficult to synthesize.

The team converted one compound of a polyene progenitor into a different compound using light to facilitate the chemical processes. They then altered the molecular structure at precise locations to yield desired compounds and specific spatial arrangements. “Instead of designing a molecule for target-specific endpoints, we envisioned an assembly scheme that could capture new, non-natural compositions of matter for future iterations of the molecule that can be used in medicine,” says Frederich.

• James Frederich