Insect Toxins from an Endophytic Fungus from Wintergreen

Abstract

Two new compounds, 5-hydroxy-2- (1‘-oxo-5‘-methyl-4‘-hexenyl)benzofuran (1) and 5-hydroxy-2-(1‘-hydroxy-5‘-methyl-4‘-hexenyl)benzofuran (2), have been isolated via bioassay-directed fractionation of culture extracts of an unidentified endophytic fungus obtained from wintergreen, Gaultheria procumbens L. Their structures have been deduced from spectral data and confirmed by synthesis. Both 1 and 2 show toxicity to spruce budworm (Christoneura fumiferana Clem.) cells, and 1 is also toxic to the larvae.