| The synthesis of saxitoxin precursors were investigated based on two major published synthetic routes using conventional synthetic organic chemistry. Saxitoxin is part of the paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) family of toxins accumulates in shellfish. It is a neurotoxin that is produced by dinoflagellates during algal blooms ('red tide') in marine waters. It presents a significant public healthy threat and loss of an enormous economics to the shellfish industry. However, there is very limited knowledge available related to the biosynthetic pathway. In fact, purine or guanidine were implicated as possible precursors. For these reasons, I set out and designed two routes that would result in the synthesis of saxitoxin precursors. 2,4-Diamino-5-nitropyrimidine and 2,4-dihydroxyl-6-methyl-5-nitropyrimidine (pyrimidine derivatives) were separately synthesized to serve as two routes to the starting materials of saxitoxin precursors. |
