Trangmolins†A-F with an Unprecedented Structural Plasticity of the Rings†A and B: New Insight into Limonoid Biosynthesis.

The absolute stereostructures of trangmolins A-F (1-6), limonoids with three new and one known topologies of the rings A and B, were unambiguously determined by NMR spectroscopic investigations, single-crystal XRD analysis, and quantum-chemical electronic circular dichroism calculations. Compounds 1-3 contain a hexahydro-1H-inden-4-one motif, compound 4 comprises a hexahydro-2,6-methanobenzofuran-7-one cage, and compound 5 consists of a hexahydro-2H-2,8-epoxychromene scaffold. The C1-C30 linkage in 1-3 and the C3-C30 connection in 4 form two unprecedented types of ring A/B-fused carbobicyclic cores: viii and ix. The oxidative cleavage of the C2-C3 bond in 5 and heterocyclization in 4 and 5 constitute the unprecedented tricyclic 6/6/5 ring A/B(1) /B(2) - and 6/5/6 ring A(1) A(2) /B-fused topologies, respectively, which are uncovered, for the first time, in the construction of limonoid architectures. The diverse cyclization patterns of 1-6 reveal an unparalleled structural plasticity of rings A and B in limonoid biosynthesis.

Antiviral Limonoids Including Khayanolides from the Trang Mangrove Plant Xylocarpus moluccensis.

Eight new khayanolides, named thaixylomolins G-N (1-8), two new phragmalins (9 and 10), and two new mexicanolides (11 and 12) were obtained from the seeds of the Trang mangrove plant Xylocarpus moluccensis. The absolute configurations of these limonoids, except for the stereocenter at C-6 of 11 and 12, were assigned by experimental and TDDFT calculated electronic circular dichroism spectra. The khayanolides may be classified into two subclasses, one of which has a C-2 carbonyl and a 3ß-acetoxy group, whereas the other possesses a 2ß-acetoxy and a C-3 carbonyl function. Khayanolides, rearranged phragmalin-type limonoids, are reported for the first time from plants of the mangrove genus Xylocarpus. The structure of moluccensin J, a known 30-ketophragmalin containing a Δ(8(14)) double bond, was revised to be a khayanolide, named thaixylomolin K. The antiviral activities of the isolates against pandemic influenza A virus (subtype H1N1) were tested by the assay of cytopathic effect inhibition. Three khayanolides, viz., thaixylomolins I, K, and M, exhibited moderate anti-H1N1 activities. The most potent one, thaixylomolin I (IC50 = 77.1 ± 8.7 µM), showed stronger inhibitory activity than that of the positive control, ribavirin (IC50 = 185.9 ± 16.8 µM).

Rubrumazines A-C, Indolediketopiperazines of the Isoechinulin Class from Eurotium rubrum MA-150, a Fungus Obtained from Marine Mangrove-Derived Rhizospheric Soil.

Three new indolediketopiperazine alkaloids of the isoechinulin type, rubrumazines A-C (1-3), each possessing an oxygenated prenyl group either at C-7 (1 and 2) or at C-5 (3), along with 13 related analogues (4-16), were isolated and identified from a culture extract of Eurotium rubrum MA-150, a fungus obtained from mangrove-derived rhizospheric soil collected from the Andaman Sea coastline, Thailand. Their structures were established by detailed interpretation of NMR spectroscopic and mass spectrometry data analysis. The structure and absolute configuration of compound 1 were confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis, thus providing the first characterized crystal structure of an isoechinulin-type alkaloid. All isolated compounds were evaluated for brine shrimp lethality and antibacterial activity.

Thaixylomolins A-C: limonoids featuring two new motifs from the Thai Xylocarpus moluccensis.

Three limonoids named thaixylomolins A-C (1-3), featuring two new motifs, were isolated from the seeds of a Thai mangrove, Xylocarpus moluccensis. The absolute configurations of these limonoids were determined by extensive NMR investigations, single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, and circular-dichroism spectroscopy in combination with quantum-chemical calculations. Thaixylomolin B exhibited inhibitory activity against nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide and IFN-γ-induced RAW264.7 murine macrophages with an IC50 value of 84.3 µM.

A new acyclic thiophene sesterterpene from the Sikao Bay sponge, Xestospongia sp.

Bioactivity-guided fractionation of the ethyl acetate extract of a marine sponge, Xestospongia sp., led to the isolation of a new thiophene-S-oxide acyclic sesterterpene (1). The chemical structure was extensively analyzed using NMR and mass spectral data. Compound 1 showed weak cytotoxicity against Vero cells.