Allelochemicals from New Zealand fungi -: (+)-Brevione A.: The first member of a novel family of bioactive spiroditerpenoids isolated from Penicillium brevicompactum Dierckx

(+)-Brevione A, the first member of a novel family of bioactive spiroditerpenoids, a potential allelopathic agent, has been isolated from the ethyl acetate active fractions of the aqueous acetone extracts of semi-solid fermented Penicillium brevicompactum Dierckx. The structure displays the novel spiroditerpenoid skeleton of breviane. The structure elucidation of brevione A was performed by homo- and hetero-nuclear 2D NMR spectral data. On the basis of combined studies of the theoretical conformations and NOEDIFF data, its relative stereochemistry is proposed. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.