Sesquiterpenoids constitute a marvelously varied group of natural products that feature a vast array of molecular architectures. Among them, the unusual bicyclo [6.3.0] undecane sesquiterpenoids are one of the most representative. To date, only approximately 42 naturally occurring compounds with this unique scaffold, which can be classified into seven different groups, have been reported. As the first-found member of each type, dactylol, asteriscanolide, dumortenol, toxicodenane C, and capillosanane S are characteristic of the four methyl groups on the five-eight-membered ring system. Only 11-hydroxyjasionone and sinuketal decorate the core with an isopropyl group. These natural products exhibit a wide range of bioactivities, including antifouling, anti-inflammatory, immune suppression, cytotoxic, antimutagenic, antiplasmodial, and antiviral activities. It was noted that some total syntheses of precapnellane-sesquiterpenoids (dactylol, poitediol, precapnelladiene), asteriscanolide, and 11-hydroxyjasionone have been achieved, because their cyclooctanoid core represents an important target for the development of synthetic strategies to prepare eight-membered ring-containing compounds. This review focuses on these natural sesquiterpenoids and their biological activities and synthesis, and aims to provide a foundation for further research of these interesting compounds.
Keywords: bicyclo [6.3.0]; biological activities; cyclooctane; five-eight-membered ring; sesquiterpenoids; structures; syntheses.