(2,4-cis and trans)-gigantecinone and 4-deoxygigantecin, bioactive nonadjacent bis-tetrahydrofuran annonaceous acetogenins, from Goniothalamus giganteus.

Two new acetogenins, (2,4-cis and trans)-gigantecinone (1), isolated as a mixture, and 4-deoxygigantecin (2), a known acetogenin whose absolute stereochemistry has not been determined previously, were isolated using activity-directed fractionation, from the bark of Goniothalamus giganteus. A key step in solving their absolute stereochemistries was the preparation of 1,4-diol formaldehyde acetal derivatives (1b and 2a). Using the advanced Mosher ester method and circular dichroism, the absolute stereochemistries of 1 and 2 were revealed and were found to be the same as that of gigantecin (3), which supports a common biogenetic origin. Both 1 and 1b showed potent and selective cytotoxicities against the PC-3 human prostate adenocarcinoma cell line. Against yellow fever mosquito larvae, 1 and 2 were more potent than rotenone in pesticidal activity. Longimicin C and a mixture of (2,4-cis and trans)-isoannonacin were also isolated for the first time from this species.