 Heathcock is known for tackling the chemical synthesis of complex, polycyclic natural products, often possessing unusual biological activity including "Daphniphyllum" alkaloids, altohyrtin, zaragozic acid, spongistatins, and many others.He has also developed novel methodology for organic synthesis such as a modification of the Evans aldol reaction.In addition to his research and teaching accomplishments, Clayton Heathcock has contributed to the chemical community by serving as chairman of the Division of Organic Chemistry of the American Chemical Society (ACS), chairman of the National Institutes of Health Medicinal Chemistry Study Section, chairman of the Gordon Research Conference on Stereochemistry, chair of the Chemistry Division of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and Editor-in Chief of the journals Organic Syntheses and the Journal of Organic Chemistry.