The isolation and structure of 13,18-dehydroglaucarubinone,a new antineoplastic quassinoid fromSimarouba amara

Summary An investigation of the Guyana plantSimarouba amara Aubl. (Simaroubaceae) for antineoplastic quassinoids led to isolation and structural determination of the new quassinoids 2-acetylglaucarubine (1a) and 13,18-dehydroglaucarubinone (2). The previously known 2-acetylglaucarubinone (3a) and glaucarubinone (3b) were also obtained. The new quassinoid2 was found significantly to inhibit growth of the murine lymphocytic leukemia P388.Antineoplastic agents 59. For part 58 refer to M. T. Edgar, G.R. Pettit and T.H. Smith, J. org. Chem., in preparation.Acknowledgments. We wish to thank Mr B. Septe for providing the¹³C-NMR-data. Dr Jean H. Schmidt and Miss Linda M. Lange for assistance with biological studies.—G.R. Pettit is grateful to the National Cancer Institute (performed pursuant to contract No. N01-67048 with the Division of Cancer Treatment, NCI, National Institutes of Health, Dept. of Health, Education and Welfare), Public Health Services Research grant No. CA 16049-03 from the National Cancer Institute, the Fannie E. Rippel Foundation, Talley Industries, and the Phoenix Coca-Cola Bottling Co., for partial support of this investigation.