Carbamate derivatives and sesquiterpenoids from the South China Sea gorgonian Melitodes squamata

• Li-Si Huang,
• Fei He,
• Hui Huang,
• Xiao-Yong Zhang and
• Shu-Hua Qi

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2012, 8, 170–176, doi:10.3762/bjoc.8.18

• ), (−)-4α,10β-aromadendranediol (8), (+)-4β,10β-aromadendranediol (9) were obtained from the South China Sea gorgonian coral Melitodes squamata Nutting. Compounds 1, 2, 6, and 7 were new, and their structures were established by spectroscopic analyses. Compounds 6 and 7 contained a taurine group that was

• rarely found in marine natural compounds, and 7 showed moderate antibacterial activity. The possible biosynthesis routes of 1–5 were conjectured. Keywords: carbamate; gorgonian; Melitodes squamata; sesquiterpenoid; Introduction Gorgonians are recognized to mainly produce acetogenins, sesquiterpenoids

• , diterpenoids, prostanoids, and steroids [1][2]. However, nitrogen-containing compounds were relatively few obtained from gorgonians. Gorgonian Melitodes squamata Nutting belonging to Melithaea family is a kind of pharmaceutical coral that has the efficacy of relieving cough, bleeding, and diarrhea, soothing