Pharmaceutically relevant (hetero)cyclic compounds and natural products from lignin-derived monomers: Present and perspectives

Lignin, the richest source of renewable aromatics on the planet, is an intriguing raw material for the construction of value-added aromatics. In the past decade, much progress has been made regarding the development of efficient lignin depolymerization methods, able to produce specific monophenol derivatives in high-enough selectivity and yields. This now serves as an excellent basis for developing powerful downstream conversion strategies toward a wide range of products, including fine chemical building blocks. The inherent structural features of lignin-derived platform chemicals undoubtedly inspire the development of novel, creative, atom-economic synthetic routes toward biologically active molecules or natural products. In this perspective we attempt to bridge the structural features of lignin-derived platform chemicals with existing synthetic strategies toward the construction of heterocycles and provide a summary of efforts for the production of natural products from aromatics that can be, in principle, obtained from lignin. Last, we comment on the latest efforts that present entire value-chains from wood to valuable pharmaceutically relevant compounds.

Automated summary

Lignin, as the richest source of renewable aromatics on Earth, holds great potential for efficient depolymerization methods to produce specific monophenol derivatives, providing a foundation for downstream conversion strategies towards a wide range of products. The inherent structural features of lignin-derived platform chemicals inspire novel synthetic routes for the production of biologically active molecules or natural products. Efforts are being made to develop entire value-chains from wood to valuable pharmaceutically relevant compounds.