Glycolipids from sponges. Part 8: Plakopolyprenoside from the marine sponge Plakortis simplex. An improved procedure for isolation of glycolipids as peracetyl derivatives

Plakopolyprenoside, a unique cytotoxic glycolipid composed of a C-35 linear polyisoprenoid alcohol and a dixylosyl carbohydrate chain was isolated fro m the Caribbean sponge Plakortis simplex as its pentaacetate. Because the i solation of native plakopolyprenoside was unfeasible, acetylation with trid euteroacetic anhydride was used to ensure that no acetyl group was already present in the natural compound. The structure of plakopolyprenoside was es tablished from spectral data. Plakopolyprenoside is cytotoxic against the J 774 cell line. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.