New Macrocyclic Diterpenoids from Jatropha multifida 1 )

in different parts of India. The plant is known to exhibit antibiotic activity. Earlier examination of the latex of the plant afforded some cyclic peptides, phenolics and glucosides. However, the investigation on other parts of the plant has not yet been reported. In continuation of our work on the constituents of Jatropha species we examined the stems of Jatropha multifida and isolated two new macrocyclic diterpenoids, 1 and 2 along with ten known compounds. Here, we describe the isolation of these constituents and structure elucidation of the unknown compounds. Compound 1 was isolated as a semi solid. Its molecular formula was deduced to be C22H30O5 from its mass spectrum, elemental analysis and C-NMR spectrum. The IR spectrum of the compound indicated the presence of carbonyl group and unsaturation. The Hand C-NMR spectral data of 1 (Table 1) clearly suggested that its structure is related to that of japodagrone (3) (a known constituent of Jatropha species) which has also presently been isolated from the investigated plant. All of the signals for the protons and carbons in the Hand C-NMR spectra respectively, were assigned from 2D NMR (H–H correlation spectroscopy (COSY), nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY), heteronuclear single quantum coherence (HSQC) and heteronuclear multiple bonding connectivity (HMBC)) and dis318 Vol. 57, No. 3 Notes