The absolute configuration of ciguatoxin

It was possible to determine the absolute configurations of ciguatoxin (CTX) and the ciguatoxin precursor CTX4A with very small amounts of toxins when a new chiral fluorescent reagent was used in combination with the CD exciton chirality method. This research has produced stereochemical information that should considerably boost synthetic efforts towards CTX. In the long term, it should be possible to undertake pharmacological, immunological and toxicological studies of ciguatera.