With the support of the Chemical Synthesis (SYN) program in the Division of Chemistry Professor Hans Renata of Rice University is studying the development of novel strategies to prepare complex terpenoids, which are natural, hydrocarbon-based small molecules. Owing to their structural complexity, synthesizing these molecules with purely chemical means remains a challenging endeavor. The proposed research will combine the use of enzymes, which are nature’s catalysts for chemical reactions, with modern chemical transformations to provide efficient access to many topologically complex terpenoids. This investigation will provide new knowledge in chemical reactivity and new insights in synthetic strategy development that will inform the synthesis design of other topologically-challenging molecules. Trainees working on this project will be exposed to cutting edge techniques in contemporary chemical synthesis and biocatalysis to prepare them for future careers in the chemical industry. In conjunction, Professor Renata will organize outreach efforts and scientific demonstrations to high school students, and virtual lecture series by faculty members from primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs). Research in the Renata lab focuses on the development of hybrid chemoenzymatic strategies in the synthesis of complex molecules, especially natural products. The goal of this project is to develop several hybrid synthetic approaches to complex terpenoids with various skeletal connectivit