Hostasolide A is a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from Hosta ensata. The first synthesis of (±)-hostasolide A was achieved by employing palladium-catalyzed CO insertion, acid-catalyzed epimerization, and γ-hydroxylation of α,β-unsaturated lactone as the key steps.

Glyceollins are well-known phytoalexins isolated from soybean (Glycine max). An efficient three-step synthesis was developed for the preparation of the key intermediate in Khupse’s glyceollin I synthesis. Claisen rearrangement-cyclization cascade reaction and Suzuki–Miyaura cross coupling were key steps in this method.

Sorgomol, isolated from Sorghum bicolor, is the germination stimulant for seeds of root parasitic weeds. The first synthesis of (±)-sorgomol has been achieved by starting from ethyl 2-oxocyclohexanecarboxylate.

A synthetic intermediate of an optically active strigolactone analogue was prepared in two ways: enzymatic resolution and asymmetric hydroxylation. The 4-hydroxy tricyclic lactone 4 was enzymatically resolved to give the corresponding enantiomers in an enantiomerically pure state, while the tricyclic lactone 5 was hydroxylated asymmetrically at the 4-position by the action of cytochrome P450 monooxygenase.(3aS,4S,8bS)-4-Hydroxy-3,3a,4,8b-tetrahydroindeno[1,2-b]furan-2-oneC11H10O3Ee ⩾ 99%[α]D24=+98 (c 0.98, CHCl3)Source of chirality: lipase resolutionAbsolute configuration: (3aS,4S,8bS)

The first synthesis of mispyric acid (1), an inhibitor of DNA polymerase β with a novel triterpene skeleton, was achieved by starting from isoprene (2), geraniol (6) and 1,5-dimethoxy-1,4-cyclohexadiene (14). The absolute configuration of the naturally occurring 1 was determined as 2S,4S.