Structural modification of organic compounds by chemical synthesis to develop new antimicrobials

One of the focal problems in Public Health related to infectious diseases is the development of bacterial resistance to commonly used chemotherapeutic agents, with the consequent difficulties on treatment. The search for new therapeutic options has led to the discovery of new bioactive compounds derived from natural sources, including molecules from plants, or metabolites from microorganisms. Chemical organic synthesis has allowed the modification of known antibiotics to enhance its biological activity. On the other hand, synthesis has also provided novel structures of biologically active molecules that may be used for the development of novel molecules that may target sites different to those present in natural compounds. A brief account on the developments in synthesis applied to novel chemotherapeutic agents is presented.