METABOLITES OF THE NEW CALEDONIAN SPONGE CLADOCROCE-INCURVATA

The deep-water New Caledonian sponge Cladocroce incurvata contains two ''polyketide'' metabolites. Cladocrocin A [1] appears to be derived from fatty acids with ethyl side chains, thus incorporating butyrate units. Cladocroic acid [2] is a straight chain fatty acid which incorporates a terminal enyne functionality and a cyclopropane ring directly attached to the carboxylic acid function. The structures were elucidated by interpretation of spectral data, and the cis stereochemistry of the cyclopropane ring in cladocroic acid [2] was derived after the synthesis of cis- and trans-2,3-methanohexanoic acid models and nmr spectral comparisons.