S-cis-Δ3(E),5(16)-conjugated diene briaranes from the octocoral Junceella fragilis

During the chemical screening of the sea whip octocoral Junceella fragilis, five chlorine-containing briarane-type diterpenoids featuring with an s-cis-Δ3(E),5(16)-diene conjugated diene system, were discovered. Of these compounds, two are entirely novel entities: (−)-frajunolide H (1) and fragilide Y (2). Additionally, three known analogs were identified: fragilide P (3), junceellolide B (4), and junceellolide C (5). To determine the absolute structures of 1 and 3, single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis was utilized. On the other hand, 2D NMR experiments in combination with data from the literature enabled accurate verification of the structure of 2. Moreover, an evaluation of the conformations of previously-discovered briaranes such as frajunolide H and junceellolide B and C was carried out. Among these newly-discovered compounds, fragilide Y possessed anti-inflammatory activity that reduced the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) to 88.70% at a concentration of 10 μM. Altogether, this study yielded valuable information about the unique chemistry and promising pharmacological properties of chlorine-containing briarane diterpenoids from sea whip octocoral.