A new 2,3-dimethyl butenolide from the brittle star Ophiomastix mixta.

A new butenolide (1) was isolated, along with a known acyclic polyhalogenated monoterpene (2), from the brittle star Ophiomastix mixta. The structures were defined by analysis and comparision of the spectral data with those in the literature. The 2,3-dimethyl butenolide (1) is uncommon and first encountered in a marine organism. The compounds were tested for cytotoxicity against a panel of five human solid tumor cell lines and displayed mild to significant activity.