posted on 2020-12-28, 13:36authored byFrancisco Cen-Pacheco, Adrián J. Santiago-Benítez, Ka Yi Tsui, Dean J. Tantillo, José J. Fernández, Antonio Hernández Daranas
Six
novel oxasqualenoids (polyether triterpenes) were isolated
from the red alga Laurencia viridis. Laurokanols A–E (1–5) comprise
an unreported tricyclic core with a [6,6]-spiroketal system. Yucatecone
(6) shows a biogenetically intriguing epimerization at
C14. Quantum mechanical calculations were used to corroborate their
structures and to explain key steps involved in the biogenetic mechanisms
proposed for the formation of oxasqualenoids.