Thorectidiols isolated from the marine
sponge Dactylospongia
elegans (family Thorectidae, order Dictyoceratida) collected
in Papua New Guinea are a family of symmetrical and unsymmetrical
dimeric biphenyl meroterpenoid stereoisomers presumed to be products
of oxidative phenol coupling of a co-occurring racemic monomer, thorectidol
(3). One member of the family, thorectidiol A (1), has been isolated in its natural form, and its structure
has been elucidated by analysis of NMR, MS, and ECD data. Acetylation
of the sponge extract facilitated isolation of additional thorectidiol
diacetate stereoisomers and the isolation of the racemic monomer thorectidol
acetate (6). Racemic thorectidiol A (1)
showed selective inhibition of the SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor binding
domain (RBD) interaction with the host ACE2 receptor with an IC50 = 1.0 ± 0.7 μM.