[mtguy510]

To start, no, I will not be attempting to actually synthesize illegal drugs, this is only about the synthesis on paper. I am a second semester Ochem student and we have been given a project in which we select a larger, complicated molecule and are then given a starting molecule by the professor. The goal is to use reactions we've learned over the course of the two semesters to try and synthesize our chosen molecule from the starting molecule that we are assigned. I chose LSD, and was told by my professor to start with 1,3-butadiene. I am by no means asking for anyone to do the entire synthesis, but I could sure use some help getting started. I'm not quite sure which part of the molecule I should attempt to start with, which reagents might be useful, whether or not I should break it up into two molecules, synthesize both, and then put them together. If anyone can give my some ideas and point me in the right direction I would appreciate it greatly as this is quite a tough task for me. Thanks!

[Arkcon]

This sort of problem came up all the time back in the day.  There's no harm in this sort of discussion, at least the theory.  Often, the starting material is a more complicated biological, butadiene is a much tougher starting material.

However, you won't learn anything, unless you start.  Draw the structure of butadiene.  How are you going to get the structures you need?

[raylab13]

1,3-butadiene is a classic Diels-Alder cycloaddition diene. You've also got a couple of rings to form. Hope that helps!

[Alwin Kristen]

It's good to break it half first, and do those parts separately.

[kriggy]

I´ll tell you one thing, you have pretty difficult task in front of you, especialy because you have to start with butediene

[Corribus]

Maybe this will help?

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ja01594a039