Myrcaulones A–C, Unusual Rearranged Triketone–Terpene Adducts from <i>Myrciaria</i> <i>cauliflora</i>
Ming Chen, Wen‐Jing Wang, Ni-Ping Li, Hu-Hu Zeng, Hong Guo, Ren‐Wang Jiang, Lei Wang, Wen‐Cai Ye
Abstract
Three rearranged triketone–terpene adducts, myrcaulones A–C (1–3), were isolated from the leaves of Myrciaria cauliflora. Myrcaulones A (1) and B (2) feature a new carbon skeleton with an unprecedented spiro[bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane-2,2′-cyclopenta[b]pyran] core. Myrcaulone C (3) possesses an unusual cyclobuta[6,7]cyclonona[1,2-b]cyclopenta[e]pyran backbone. Their structures with absolute configurations were elucidated by NMR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and electronic circular dichroism calculations. A plausible biogenetic pathway for myrcaulones A–C involving the rearrangement of a triketone unit is also proposed. In addition, myrcaulones A (1) and B (2) exhibited inhibitory effects against tumor necrosis factor-α and nitric oxide generation induced by lipopolysaccharide in RAW 264.7 macrophages.