USING SPECTROSCOPIC AND DATABASE STRATEGIES TO UNRAVEL STRUCTURES OF POLYCYCLIC BIOACTIVE MARINE SPONGE SESTERTERPENES

Three new tricyclic sesterterpenes, aplysolides A (1a) and B (1b) and aplyolide A (2), have been characterized from an Aplysinopsis Indo-Pacific marine sponge. The structure elucidation of these compounds was accomplished using data from a new generation of 2D NMR strategies including multiple quantum coherence (HMQC and HMBC) and rotating frame NOE (ROESY). An additional approach during the early phases of structure elucidation made use of our personal database with searchable fields including substructures, APT formulae, and molecular formulae.