Total synthesis of natural (levo) and enantiomeric (dextro) forms of prostaglandin E1

Abstract

1 newly-discovered method of synthesizing PGE1 (prostaglandin E1) is explained and diagrammed chemically. Recrystallization of the synthetic product produced material identical in all respects with natural PGE1. The synthetic product showed the same infrared spectrum and chromatographic values as racemic and natural forms of PGE1. The biological activity of the synthetic product was found to be .1% of that of the naturally-occurring PGE1 in the stimulation of smooth muscle contraction. This is the 1st report of a total synthesis of PGE1. Research continues on improvements in this synthesizing method and on discovering other synthetic approaches to PGs.