Potent Phytotoxic Harziane Diterpenes from a Soft Coral-Derived Strain of the Fungus Trichoderma harzianum XS-20090075.

Two new harziane diterpene lactones, possessing a 6/5/7/5-fused carbocyclic core containing a lactone ring system, harzianelactones A and B (1 and 2), and five new harziane diterpenes, harzianones A-D (3-6) and harziane (7), were isolated from the soft coral-derived fungus Trichoderma harzianum XS-20090075. Their structures were determined by extensive NMR spectroscopic data, ECD and OR calculations, as well as X-ray diffraction. The isolated compounds exhibited potent phytotoxicity against seedling growth of amaranth and lettuce. Harziane diterpenes were rarely reported for their remarkably bioactivities, and it was the first report to study the phytotoxicity of harziane diterpenes, which provide a new application of such compounds in agriculture for future research.