Front Cover: A Direct Route to Habiterpenol Synthesis Using Anticopalic Acid as a Chiral Pool Template (Chem. Asian J. 15/2025)

The front cover portrays an ancient temple, gently embraced by the roots of surrounding trees, symbolizing the harmonious relationship between nature and human creation. This idea is echoed in the foreground image, which features anticopalic acid, isolated from the rhizomes of Kaempferia elegans. This naturally abundant compound, with its defined stereochemistry, serves as a chiral pool starting material, providing a ready-made scaffold for the efficient synthesis of complex molecules. In this study, anticopalic acid is transformed through a series of carefully designed steps in the laboratory into the natural product habiterpenol, highlighting the seamless collaboration between nature's raw materials and human ingenuity. Full details of this work are provided in the article number e202500130 by Jutatip Boonsombat and co-workers. The background image reveals a lesser-known tourist destination: Wat Somdet, an ancient temple located in Sangkhlaburi, Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand.

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