Advances in the First Total Synthesis of Natural Flavonoids

Flavonoids, composed of a C6-C3-C6 backbone, are a kind of secondary metabolites of natural medicine, which widely exist in the higher plant. They have received extensive attention from all over the world and obtained rapid development owing to widespread distribution, structural complexity, active diversity, and molecular plasticity. Total synthesis of natural products is not only one of the most driving forces in organic chemistry but also the embodiment of the development level of organic synthesis chemistry. Total synthesis research possesses not only important theoretical significance to the development of organic chemistry but also potential marketing prospects to clinical medicine and significant practical value to the development of natural medicine. Flavonoids contain flavan, chalcone, flavone, biflavone, isoflavone, xanthone, pterocarpin, homoisoflavone, flavonol, favonolignan, and some other main structure types. This article summarizes the latest research on first total synthesis, including the plant sources and biological activities, of these main structure types, so as to provide some reference for both the research of first total synthesis of natural flavonoids and the development and utilization of their medicinal value.