Записки Летучего/Летающего Медведя

Perhaps not, because the most challenging, landmark syntheses tend to be of natural compounds (like Woodward's synthesis of B12 or Nicolaou's synthesis of taxol), so the result is predetermined. The most complex syntheses are not creative in this sense, and those which are creative (striving for new) are seldom very complex. I better ask someone who had done both. I have an organic chemist colleague who after 20 years of teaching and doing chemistry dropped everything and started composing for a classical guitar -- and even married a Chicago symphony violinist! I'll ask him the next time I see him and get back to you.