EUNICENONE-A AND EUNICENONE-B - DITERPENOID CYCLOHEXENONES OF A RARE SKELETAL CLASS FROM A NEW SPECIES OF THE CARIBBEAN GORGONIAN EUNICEA

Eunicenones A and B (1 and 2), compounds of a mixed biosynthetic origin, have been isolated from a new species of the Caribbean gorgonian genus Eunicea. The new compounds are diterpenoid cyclohexenones of a new skeletal class related in part to the linear diterpenoid-substituted quinones and hydroquinones isolated from various plants and animals. The structures of 1 and 2 were determined by spectral and chemical methods, and the absolute stereochemistries of these metabolites were determined by CD methods.