Diterpenoids from Euphorbia pithyusa subsp cupanii

The aerial parts of Euphorbia pithyusa subsp. cupanii collected in Sardinia afforded eleven novel diterpenoids belonging to the lathyrane (1a), premyrsinane (4a-g), and tigliane (5a-c) types. Compounds 4a-g and 5a are esters of two new parent alcohols, named premyrsinol and 4,12,20-trideoxyphorbol, respectively. Structures were elucidated by spectroscopic and chemical methods. Puzzling differences between the NMR data of lathyrol (1c) and its esters were rationalized in terms of flipping of the exomethylene around the mean plane of the macrocycle.