Gosodesmine, a 7-Substituted Hexahydroindolizine from the Millipede Gosodesmus claremontus

J Nat Prod. 2020 Sep 25;83(9):2764-2768. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.0c00722. Epub 2020 Sep 11.

Abstract

Millipedes (Diplopoda) are well known for their toxic or repellent defensive secretions. Here we describe gosodesmine (1), 7-(4-methylpent-3-en-1-yl)-1,2,3,5,8,8a-hexahydroindolizine, a unique alkaloid with some terpene character found in the chemical defense secretions of the millipede Gosodesmus claremontus Chamberlin (Colobognatha, Platydesmida, Andrognathidae). The structure of 1 was suggested by its mass spectra and GC-FTIR spectra and established from its 1H, 13C, and 2D NMR spectra and 1D NOE studies. The 7-substituted indolizidine carbon skeleton of 1 was confirmed by unambiguous synthesis. This is the first report of an alkaloid from a platydesmid millipede and the first report of a 7-substituted indolizidine from an arthropod.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Arthropods / chemistry*
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Molecular Structure
  • Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared