The absolute configuration of adjacent bis-THF acetogenins and asiminocin, a novel highly potent asimicin isomer from Asimina triloba

A novel acetogenin, asiminocin (1), was isolated by activity-directed fractionation from the stem bark of the paw paw tree, Asimina triloba. By spectral and chemical methods, 1 was identified as (30S)-hydroxy-4-deoxyasimicin. The absolute configuration of 1, along with those of previously reported acetogenins asimin, asiminacin, bullatin, (30S)-bullanin, and (30R) bullanin, was determined by Mosher ester methodology. Compound 1 was highly inhibitory to three human solid tumor cell lines with over a billion times the potency of adriamycin.