Bioactive xenicane diterpenoids from the Taiwanese soft coral Asterospicularia laurae.

Chemical investigation of the Taiwanese soft coral Asterospicularia laurae has led to the isolation of three new xenicane diterpenoids, named asterolaurins K-M (1-3, resp.). Their chemical structures were determined through extensive spectroscopic analyses ((1) H- and (13) C-NMR, (1) H,(1) H-COSY, HMBC, and NOESY). Compound 2 exhibited cytotoxic activity against HEp-2, Daoy, MCF-7, and WiDr tumor cells.