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Ten new diterpenes, 1-10, having a dolabellane skeleton were isolated from a Colombian gorgonian coral of the genus Eunicea. Their structures, as well as those of known compounds 11-18, were determined on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and, in some instances, by chemical conversion and X-ray crystallographic analysis. The absolute structure of 7 was established by chemical conversion from 11, a co-occurring dolabellane congener of known absolute structure. Most of these diterpenoids showed antimalarial activity against the protozoan parasite Plasmodium falciparum.

The Caribbean alcyonacean Pseudopterogorgia kallos is shown to contain a novel rearranged pseudopterane diterpene, kallosin A (1), possessing several unusual structural features. In addition to having two distinct 2(3H)- and 2(5H)-furanone moieties, kallosin A is based on a new carbon skeleton. The structural assignment of 1 was based mainly on 1D and 2D NMR spectral data and was further supported by accurate mass measurement and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.