Brominated anisoles and cresols in the red alga Polysiphonia sphaerocarpa.

The red marine alga Polysiphonia sphaerocarpa was extracted by a simultaneous steam distillation-solvent extraction technique and several brominated compounds were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The compounds detected were 2,4-dibromoanisole, 2,4,6-tribromoanisole, 3-bromocresol, 3,5-dibromocresol, 3-bromo-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, 3,5-dibromo-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, 2-bromophenol, 4-bromophenol, 2,4-dibromophenol, 2,6-dibromophenol and 2,4,6-tribromophenol. This is the first time brominated anisoles and cresols have been detected in marine algae.