Chemical syntheses of the cochliomycins and certain related resorcylic acid lactones

The cochliomycins (7–12) are a group of six resorcylic acid lactones that have recently been isolated from culture broths of marine fungi found in the South China Sea. These natural products have attracted attention as synthetic targets because of (in certain instances) their novel structural features and their capacities to suppress biofouling. This short review summarizes the synthesis of these and some related compounds that have been reported to date, including those developed in the authors’ laboratories.