First total synthesis of macrocycle with four stereocentres at the heart of bacterial photosynthesis

After nine years of effort, chemists in the US have completed the first total synthesis of bacteriochlorophyll a, a molecule they describe as ‘one of the most challenging photosynthetic tetrapyrroles to synthesise’. By combining ‘battle‑tested and reliable’ methods, Jonathan Lindsey at North Carolina State University says his team’s approach opens the door to making a wide range of photosynthetic tetrapyrroles and exploring their function ‘in a way that’s not been possible previously’.