ABSTRACT
Terpenoids constitute a large, widespread and diverse group of natural products derived from more than two isoprene units. Sesquiterpenes are a large and ubiquitous family of C15 isoprenoid natural products and are widely distributed in plants, microorganisms, marine organisms and insects. Some sesquiterpenes, especially sesquiterpene lactones, show a wide range of biological activities, such as anti-bacterial, anti-tumor, anti-virus, cytotoxic, immune inhibition, phyto-toxic, insect hormone, insect anti-feedant, plant growth regulation and neurobiological activities. In the last thirty years, many sesquiterpenoids with special structures that contain halogens, sulfur, cyanide and thiocyanide have been isolated from marine organisms. These novel sesquiterpenes exhibit very interesting and peculiar structures and biological activities. Therefore, work on sesquiterpenoids is one of the most active research areas in natural products chemistry to date. Many sesquiterpenes are major components found in the higher boiling point parts of essential oils, and are very important for controlling the odor of fragrances used in the perfume industry.
