CHEMISTRY OF THE MYCALAMIDES, ANTIVIRAL AND ANTITUMOR COMPOUNDS FROM A MARINE SPONGE .5. ACID-CATALYZED HYDROLYSIS AND ACETAL EXCHANGE, DOUBLE-BOND ADDITIONS AND OXIDATION REACTIONS

The acid-catalysed degradations of the potent antitumour and antiviral sponge metabolite mycalamide A and a triacetyl derivative have been e xamined. Acetal exchange reactions, catalytic hydrogenation, epoxidati on and oxidation reactions have also been performed on mycalamides A a nd B. The major products derived from these reactions were characteris ed and tested for in vitro P388 anti-leukaemia activity and structure- activity relationships were deduced from these results.