Phallusides, new glucosphingolipids from the ascidian Phallusia fumigata

Abstract The ascidian Phallusia fumigata contains a series of new glucosphingolipids named phallusides 1–4 ( 1–4 ). The structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods and chemical degradations. Phallusides 1–3 ( 1–3 ) contain the uncommon sphingoid base 2-amino-9-methyl-D- erythro -(4 E ,8 E ,10 E )-octadeca-4,8,10-triene-1,3-diol. This is the first report of glucosphingolipids isolated from ascidians.