title: Novel 3-beta-methoxysteroids from the Senegalese sponge Microscleroderma spirophora.
abstract: The Senegalese sponge Microscleroderma spirophora has been found to produce exclusively very unusual 3 beta-methoxysteroids in place of the common 3 beta-hydroxysteroids. Six different methoxysteroids (three of which are novel compounds) have been isolated and identified by spectroscopic means (MS, IR, 1H and 13C NMR), and their taxonomic significance discussed. A new method for the determination of the configuration at C-24 in saturated 24-ethyl side chains is also proposed.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica delle Sostanze Naturali, Università di Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Costantino
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fattorusso
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mangoni
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aknin
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Gaydou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D015394:Molecular Structure; D011161:Porifera / Q000737:chemistry*; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared; D013256:Steroids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D013256:Steroids