Structure elucidation of two new xanthone derivatives from the marine fungus Penicillium sp. (ZZF 32#) from the South China Sea.

Two new xanthones, 8-(methoxycarbonyl)-1-hydroxy-9-oxo-9H-xanthene-3-carboxylic acid (1) and dimethyl 8-methoxy-9-oxo-9H-xanthene-1,6-dicarboxylate (2) and one known xanthone methyl 8-hydroxy-6-methyl-9-oxo-9H-xanthene-1-carboxylate (3) were isolated from the culture broth of the mangrove fungus Penicillium sp. (ZZF 32#) collected from the South China Sea. Their structures were established by comprehensive analysis of one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) NMR data. The structure of compound 3 was confirmed by X-ray crystallography, which led to the suggestion that janthinone (4) might have the same structure as 3. Compounds 1-3 were inactive against KB or KBv200 cells during cytotoxicity evaluations. 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.