Novel Epoxy Steroids from the Indian Ocean Soft Coral Sarcophyton crassocaule

A detailed further examination of the Indian Ocean soft coral Sarcophyton crassocaule resulted in the isolation of altogether 17 compounds of which two (1 and 2) are novel 17β,20β-epoxy steroids and one is a new dihydroxygorgost-5-en (3). The other compounds include the four hippurin steroids (4−7) reported earlier, and some known derivatives such as methyl arachidonate, batyl alcohol, a mixture of monohydroxy sterols, 3β-hydroxypregn-5-en-20-one, two prostaglandin derivatives (PGB2 acid and its methyl ester), and 9-oxo-9,11-secogorgost-5-ene-3β,11-diol (8). The structure of new dihydroxygorgostene derivative was established as gorgost-5-ene-3β,11α-diol (3), while the structures of the novel epoxy steroids were established as 17β,20β-epoxy-23,24-dimethylcholest-5-ene-3β,22-diol (2) and its 3β,22-diacetate (1), respectively.