This review provides a comprehensive coverage of the history, biology and chemistry of tetrodotoxin (TTX). It traces the origin of this remarkable molecule all the way back to the ancient Chinese medicine records. The discovery of biological activity, isolation, and a brief overview of structure elucidation are summarized. Next, the biology of TTX is discussed, primarily in the context of its activity in the sodium channels, its anesthetic properties, and its potential use in cancer treatment or drug addiction. Biosynthesis of TTX is covered before the discussion of the total syntheses. All total, formal or partial syntheses are covered but those total syntheses that have been discussed in previous reviews are only briefly summarized. Finally, the synthesis of natural and unnatural derivatives is surveyed, and a conclusion and outlook are provided for this very extensive field of endeavor. To the best of our knowledge the literature coverage is complete up to December 2018.

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The reaction mechanism for the Stevens rearrangement is one of the most controversial reaction mechanisms in organic chemistry. This account will address that controversy reviewing the experimental as well as some computational results.1 Introduction2 Evolution of the Mechanistic Knowledge2.1 Stevens (1928)2.2 Stevens (1930)2.3 Stevens (1932)2.4 Campbell (1946)2.5 Hauser (1951)2.6 Kline (1952)2.7 Lepley (1969)2.8 Baldwin (1970)3 Computational Investigations4 [2,3]-Stevens Rearrangement?5 Conclusion

Advanced intermediates for the syntheses of tetrodotoxin reported by the groups of Fukuyama, Alonso, and Sato were prepared. Key steps include the toluene dioxygenase mediated dihydroxylation of either iodobenzene or benzyl acetate. The resulting diene diols were transformed into Fukuyama's intermediate in six steps, into Alonso's intermediate in nine steps, and into Sato's intermediate in ten steps.

A total synthesis of the fungal‐derived natural product pestynol is reported via a convergent chemoenzymatic approach from the readily available precursors geranyl bromide, ethyl acetoacetate, trimethylsilylacetylene, and bromobenzene. Synthetic (–)‐pestynol proved to be identical in all respects to the natural material, allowing confirmation of the structure including absolute stereochemistry.