Research Introduction

First among the future challenges of organic synthesis is the need to master synthetic efficiency. How to address structural complexity and diversity with as simple means as possible? How to prepare natural products, pharmaceuticals and other relevant targets in a minimum of synthetic steps? The aim is indeed to reduce protecting group manipulations and the length of synthetic sequence through catalytic selective processes that produce minimal chemical waste. Synthetic efficiency is thus a pressing challenge that combines social, economic and environmental goals. Our research interests combine the development of new synthetic methodologies, the asymmetric synthesis of natural-like heterocycles (mainly carbohydrate mimics) and the design of compounds of biological and therapeutic interest. The overall aim is to develop efficient synthesis of original glycomimetics in order to accelerate the discovery of potent inhibitors of carbohydrate-processing enzymes and then target diseases, such as lysosomal diseases or cystic fibrosis, which involve glycosidases or/and glycosyltransferases. For an overview of the philosophy guiding our research work see the following account article published in Synlett (Synlett 2023, DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1751449).