Abstract
Natural products are a prolific source of drug leads due to their unique architectures
and potent bioactivity. However, their structural complexity often presents formidable
challenges for total synthesis. Skeletal editing has recently emerged as a powerful
strategy to streamline synthetic routes by selectively reorganizing molecular frameworks.
In this context, the Cargill-type rearrangement offers a unique yet underutilized
approach to skeletal editing via carbonyl migration. Despite its value, this transformation
has not been systematically reviewed. Here, we provide the first focused summary of
Cargill-type rearrangements in natural product synthesis, highlighting mechanistic
insights and key examples to illustrate their synthetic potential.
Keywords
Cargill-type rearrangement - Skeletal editing - Strain release - Total synthesis -
Natural products
