The C-24 configuration of (22E,24xi)-24-isopropenyl-22-dehydrocholesterol (1), which was recently isolated from the Colombian Caribbean sponge, Topsentia ophiraphidites, was investigated. Synthesis of the stereodefined (24R)- and (24S)-(22E)-24-isopropenyl-22-dehydrocholesterols (1a, 1b) followed by (1)H- and (13)C-NMR data comparison of these sterols established the (24R)-configuration of 1. In addition
Analysis of the sterol fraction obtained from the Colombian Caribbean sponge Topsentia ophiraphidites revealed that this sponge is a rich source of C-30 and C-31 sterols. Among them, a new C-31 sterol, named ophirasterol, was isolated, and its structure was established as (22E,24R)-24-(1-buten-2-yl)cholesta-5,22-dien-3beta-oI (1) by spectral means and comparison with synthetic C-24 epimers with known configuration. Other isolated C-30 and C-31 sterols were the known 24-ethyl-24-methyl-22-dehydrocholesteroI (2), 24-isopropyl-22-dehydrocholesterol (3), 24-isopropyjcholesterol (4), 24-ethyl-24-methylcholesterol (5), 24-isopropenyl-25-methyl-22-dehydrocholesteroI (6) and 24-isopropenyl-25-methylcholesteroI (7), and 24-isopropenyl-22-dehydrocholesteroI (8). (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.