NOVEL POTENT ANTIMALARIAL DITERPENE ISOCYANATES, ISOTHIOCYANATES, ANDISONITRILES FROM THE TROPICAL MARINE SPONGE CYMBASTELA HOOPERI

The isolation and structural elucidation of 15 diterpenes (1-15) which contain isocyanate, isothiocyanate, and isonitrile functionalities ar e reported from the tropical marine sponge Cymbastela hooperi. Of the 15, 12 (1, 3-9, 11, and 13-15) are new natural products, two of which (4 and 5) contain the rare isocyanate functionality. With the exceptio n of compounds 1 and 15, all of the compounds are based on amphilectan e, cycloamphilectane, or modified cycloamphilectane (isocycloamphilect ane) ground structures. Compound 1 is an ''extended'' sesquiterpene, w ith 15 representing the first of a new class of tricyclic marine-deriv ed diterpenes. All structures were established by spectroscopic method s, particularly H-1-H-1 and H-1-C-13 shift correlated 2D NMR spectrosc opy and accurate mass measurement (HREIMS). All isolates with the exce ption of 1 demonstrated significant and selective in vitro antimalaria l activity.