Two New 3,4‐Seco‐ent‐kaurenes and Other Constituents from the Costa Rican Endemic Species Croton megistocarpus

Following our phytochemical studies of Costa Rican plants, we report the isolation of two new 3,4-seco-ent-kaurenes from the aerial parts of Croton megistocarpus (Euphorbiaceae). The structures of the two compounds were elucidated as 14-[(2-methylbutanoyl)oxy]-3,4-seco-ent-kaura-4(19),16-dien-3-oic acid (1) and 14-{[(2Z)-2-methylbut-2-enoyl]oxy}-3,4-seco-ent-kaura-4(19),16-dien-3-oic acid (2). In addition, seven known diterpene clerodanes were also isolated and identified. The structures of the compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including HR-MS, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, COSY, HMQC, HMBC, and NOESY experiments.