5 Total synthesis of the major phytocannabinoids

As presented in the previous chapters, the cannabis plant is rich in a variety of constituents belonging to many different chemical classes. The most important and characteristic class, specific to cannabis, is the cannabinoids. While a few naturally occurring cannabinoids are abundant in the plant materials, especially Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol, other cannabinoids are present in small quantities. Synthesis of cannabinoids, like most other natural products, has been one of the methods used for structure elucidation. However, synthesis is also used to produce large supply of natural products that might not be feasible by isolation from plant material. This chapter is dedicated to methods used to synthesize the major cannabinoids that could be used for product development efforts of these cannabinoids. The synthetic routes offer alternative methods to secure drug supply of these cannabinoids. Only examples of synthetic methods are given, with no intention to provide exhaustive coverage of all literature procedures.