E/Z-rubrolide O, an anti-inflammatory halogenated furanone from the New Zealand ascidian Synoicum n. sp.

Bioassay-directed fractionation of extracts of a Synoicum n. sp. ascidian from New Zealand led to the isolation of the principal anti-inflammatory component, which was identified by spectroscopic methods as a new member of the rubrolide family, rubrolide O (1), existing as a mixture of E/Z isomers.