Brominated Diterpenes of Marine Origin

Between 1971 and 2000, eighty brominated diterpenes were isolated from only two groups of marine organisms: red algae and gastropods, so it is likely that all bromoditerpenes only originate from Rhodophyceae and herbivorous molluscs which feed on them. Occurrence and general considerations on the encountered carbon skeletons are presented in the two first parts of this review. All brominated diterpenes are presented in third part with physicochemical properties and spectroscopic data available in the literature. The fourth part is devoted to biogenesis schemes for each carbon skeleton and the fifth part summarises the published data on biological activities of brominated diterpenes. This review covers the literature up to 2000; three new bromoditerpenes characterized in 2001 from two red algae are described in an addendum. This review ends with a general index for all mentioned compounds.