Herboxidiene (1) is a novel polyketide natural product isolated from Streptomyces sp. A 7847 by workers at Monsanto. This compound controls (>90%) several important biannual weeds at relatively low application rates (<250 g hectare −1 ) without damaging wheat. 1 The relative and absolute configuration of 1 was deduced by a combination of X-ray analysis, asymmetric synthesis, and degradation studies, 2 and the first synthesis of the natural product has ...
