Chloro polyketides from the cultured fungus (Aspergillus) separated from a marine sponge

The salt water culture of Aspergillus ?ochraceus separated from the Indo-Pacific sponge Jaspis cf. coriacea has yielded two new chlorine containing polyketides, chlorocarolide A (1b) and B (Ib). These compounds have an overall structural analogy to carolic acid whose biosynthesis has been intensely studied. The structures and stereochemical features of the chlorocarolides are reported, Also noted are the similarities of their alpha-methylene-gamma-butyrolactones to those of the litsenolides and mahubenolides, both derived from plants. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd