= Total synthesis
A <total synthesis> constructs a target compound from simpler starting materials through a planned sequence of <chemical reactions>. For a complex target, success includes the required connectivity and <stereochemistry>, not merely the elemental formula or an approximate <mass>.
<Tropinone> provides a classic strategic example: compatible small precursors can assemble a bridged framework through a coordinated sequence, rather than making every ring separately.<A Synthesis of Tropinone by Robert Robinson>[Original synthesis: multicomponent construction of the target skeleton]{ref} A route's value also depends on selectivity, yield, operational reliability and how easily structural identity can be established. “Total” does not require that every <carbon> <atom> begin as an element.
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