The future of total synthesis
By 
Nina Notman2026-01-05T10:17:00
From structure confirmation to methodology improvements, making complex natural products has driven innovation in organic synthesis for decades. Nina Notman looks at its current state, with threats from funding to academic pressures
Natural product synthesis has shaped drug discovery for centuries, but its future is underpressure. Once driven by the quest to confirm molecular structures, today’s chemists aim for elegant, efficient routes that inspire new reactions and technologies. From radical cross-coupling and enzyme cascades to AI-assisted planning, innovation is thriving – but funding cuts and academic metrics threaten the next generation of synthetic pioneers. Can this art form survive to keep fuelling tomorrow’s medicines?