HANISHENOLS-A-B, NOVEL LINEAR OR METHYL-BRANCHED GLYCEROL ENOL ETHERSOF THE AXINELLID SPONGE ACANTHELLA-CARTERI (EQUALS ACANTHELLA-AURANTIACA) FROM THE HANISH ISLANDS, SOUTHERN RED-SEA

The axinellid sponge Acanthella carteri Dendy, 1889 (= Acanthella aura ntiaca Keller, 1889) from the Hanish Islands, Yemen, on EtOH extractio n followed by FC and HPLC purification gave the first example of branc hed glycerol enol ether, hanishenol B (3) alongside a major unbranched analogue, hanishenol A (1). Their structures were elucidated from NMR and MS spectra and through the ozonolysis product of 1, while the abs olute configuration was assigned from exciton coupling with the dibenz oate derivative 2. (C) 1997, Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.