Isolation of a 1,3-enone isomer of heptanor-41-oxoyessotoxin from Protoceratium reticulatum cultures.

The 1,3-enone isomer (1) of heptanor-41-oxoyessotoxin (2) was isolated from extracts of Protoceratium reticulatum during large-scale production of yessotoxin (4). We found that 2 readily isomerizes to 1 in the presence of dilute ammonia and present evidence for the existence of 40-epi-2 (3) that also isomerizes to 1. 1-3 were detected by LC-MS methods both in extracts of P. reticulatum cultures and in mussels contaminated with yessotoxins. The isomerization of 2 and 3 into 1 occurs so readily that purification on basic alumina needs to be conducted carefully. No toxic effects were recorded in mice injected intraperitoneally with 1 at a dose of 5,000 microg/kg.