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 17beta,20beta-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, 3beta-hydroxypregn-5-en-20-one, two prostaglandin derivatives (PGB(2) acid and its methyl ester), and 9-oxo-9, 11-secogorgost-5-ene-3beta,11-diol (8). The structure of new dihydroxygorgostene derivative was established as gorgost-5-ene-3beta,11alpha-diol (3), while the structures of the novel epoxy steroids were established as 17beta,20beta-epoxy-23, 24-dimethylcholest-5-ene-3beta,22-diol (2) and its 3beta, 22-diacetate (1), respectively.