The Quinine Odyssey: A Barometer of the State of Organic Synthesis Over Centuries

The year 2024 marks the 80^th anniversary of the landmark formal synthesis of (±)-quinine completed by Woodward and Doering. This article examines the evolution of approaches to access this storied Cinchona alkaloid natural product which represent a microcosm the progress that has been made in organic synthesis over the past ~170 years. Seminal contributions led by Pasteur, Rabe, Woodward, Uskoković, Stork, Jacobsen, Hayashi, Maulide and others are discussed.