Epimeric Excolides from the Stems of Excoecaria agallocha and Structural Revision of Rhizophorin A.

Excolides A-B (1-4) represent the first examples of a new class of secolabdanoids with an unprecedented framework, which were isolated from the stems of Excoecaria agallocha. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analysis, chemical modifications, CD, and single-crystal X-ray analysis (1 and 4) as excolide A (1), 11-epi-excolide A (2), 11,13-di-epi-excolide A (3), and excolide B (4). In addition, the structure of rhizophorin A (7), a novel bicyclic secolabdanoid, was revised as excolide A (1).

Biotransformation of agallochaexcoerin A by Aspergillus flavus.

Agallochaexcoerin A (1), a seco-manoyl oxide diterpenoid was metabolised by pathogenic fungus, Aspergillus flavus, in growth media to yield a new metabolite, termed agallochaexcoerin G (2). It was confirmed by using IR, UV, (1)H NMR and HR-ESI-MS techniques. This microbial bioconversion was achieved by unusual dehydration at C-4 position.

Unusual isomeric corniculatolides from mangrove, Aegiceras corniculatum.

Four new isomeric macrolides of combretastatin D-2 congeners named isocorniculatolide A (1), 11-O-methylisocorniculatolide A (2), 11-O-methylcorniculatolide A (3), and 12-hydroxy-11-O-methylcorniculatolide A (4), and the known corniculatolide A (5), arjunolic acid, and maslinic acid were isolated from the CHCl(3) extract of the bark of Aegiceras corniculatum. The structures of the new compounds (1-4) were elucidated by a combination of spectroscopic analysis (1-5), chemical modifications, and single-crystal X-ray analysis (1).