EBC-219 (4), isolated from Croton insularis (Baill), was established by spectroscopic and DFT methods as the first member of a new diterpene skeletal class, uniquely defined by the presence of a bicyclo[10.2.1] bridgehead olefin. The proposed biogenetic pathway to 4 from the co-isolated natural products EBC-131 (1), EBC-180 (2) and EBC-181 (3) is highly likely. EBC-180 (2) and EBC-181 (3) showed moderate to strong cytotoxic activity against various cancer cell lines.

Investigation of Croton insularis afforded the first in class seco-casbane diterpene, EBC-329. A highly oxidised casbane, EBC-324, was also isolated. The structural motif within EBC-324, which consists of an epoxidised hemi-acetal endoperoxide, is new to the casbane family.

No abstract

EBC-162 isolated from Croton insularis, obtained from the northern rainforest of Australia, was structurally affirmed as crotofolin C (4). Novel oxidative degradation products, EBC-233 and EBC-300, which are the first crotofolane endoperoxides, were also isolated. Both endoperoxides were found to be stable intermediates, which are proposed to undergo an unprecedented homo-Baeyer-Villiger biosynthetic rearrangement to give a new class of 1,14-seco-crotofolane diterpenes. Prolonged storage of all isolates assisted in authenticating their natural product status. Anticancer activities of reported compounds are presented.

Investigation of the Australian rainforest plant Croton insularis revealed seven new cis‐, two new trans‐cyclopropane casbanes, and the first trans‐cyclopropane seco‐casbane. The relative configuration of the cyclopropane moiety for all compounds (EBC‐182, 217, 218, 220, 343, 357, 358, 361, 365, 373; EBC=EcoBiotics Compound) was assigned using 13C NMR data. Comparison of the experimental electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra with the theoretical curves, calculated by TD‐DFT at the B3LYP/6‐31+G**//B3LYP/6‐31+G** level, in conjunction with NOE data afforded the absolute configuration. EBC‐180, 181 and 220 displayed potent activity against cervical carcinoma (HeLa cells).