Although the study of natural products (NP) has been well documented and described throughout history, it continues to be a daunting task. This research area poses challenges for new, as well as experienced researchers alike. Although remarkable advancements in modern analytical technologies have been made, including the integration of multiple techniques to generate compositional and structural information, challenges often arise when dealing with complex NP samples. For instance, it is necessary to develop comprehensive sample extraction and clean-up methods for NP samples that may contain different chemical classes of compounds. Efficient approaches with high peak capacity and resolution power are essential with regards to compound separation and detection. A universal detector is strongly desirable, yet is unavailable to detect the majority of NP constituents. Unfortunately, no single “one size fits all” analytical solution is available to address the entire spectrum of challenges encountered in this regard. Thus, it is critical for NP scientists to rely upon a range of analytical tools and techniques in order to thoroughly investigate complex NPs. The aim of this presentation is to demonstrate the applications of different analytical technologies which are often utilized to solve significant NP challenges. Our discussion will be focused on application case studies involving analytical techniques ranging from chromatographic separation to computer-assisted statistical analysis and structure elucidation.

Analytical chemistry-centered solutions to natural products research challenges

ACS Fall 2021

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