Recent Developments in the Synthesis of Pyrrolidine-Containing Iminosugars (Eur. J. Org. Chem. 9/2010)

The cover picture shows a representation of the synthesis of several iminosugars. Iminosugars are sugar mimetics found widely in nature. They have potential in the treatment of a number of diseases, and accordingly, much effort has been spent in developing efficient routes for their syntheses. Recent developments in the synthesis of pyrrolidine-containing iminosugars are outlines in the Microreview by B. L. Stocker, M. S. M. Timmer et al. on page 1615 ff. The plant in the background is a Ponga (silver fern, cyathea dealbata) endemic to New Zealand. It was chosen to highlight the fact that iminosugars are naturally occurring in many plant species from around the world. The authors thank Sam Win-Mason for the photograph used for the cover picture.