Three new C-14 oxygenated taxanes from the wood of Taxus yunnanensis.

Three new C-14 oxygenated taxane-type diterpenes, hongdoushans A-C (1-3), were isolated from the wood of Taxus yunnanensis together with four known diterpenes and two lignans. The absolute stereochemistry of the 2-methylbutyryloxy group attached at C-14 of the taxane skeleton was determined to be S by GC analysis of the methyl ester of 2-methylbutyric acid obtained after alkaline hydrolysis of 1 and 4 followed by treatment with CH(2)N(2). The complete stereostructure of the known compound 2alpha,5alpha,10beta-triacetoxy-14beta-[(S)-2-methylbutyryloxy]-4(20),11-taxadiene (4) was established for the first time. The isolates obtained were evaluated for their antiproliferative activity toward murine colon 26-L5 carcinoma and human HT-1080 fibrosarcoma cell lines.