Diverse metabolites of coral reef organisms

A detailed mechanism for the spontaneous transformation of 2-chloro-1-hydroxyoctoda-3(8),5-dien-4-one, a metabolite of , into 4,5-dimethylbenzo[ ]furan was presented. Five new terpenoids have been isolated from the red alga . Five species of sponges yielded various metabolites: furanosesterterpenes from sp., scalarane derivatives from sp., polyketides from cf. , a polyacetylene from sp., and cyclic depsipeptides from . Other new metabolites were sponge-derived secomanoalide derivative and imidazole alkaloids from nudibranchs, briarane class diterpenes from octocorals, and cyclofarnesylated hydroquinones, floresolides A-C, from an ascidian, sp. Many of these compounds showed cytotoxicity.