The structure of 24-methylenecholest-5-en-3β,7β,19-triol (II] isolated from the soft coral Litophyton viridis, has been established by X-ray diffraction analysis. The compound is accompanied by its 7-monoacetate derivative.

Lobosterol [(24S)-24-methylcholestane-3beta,4beta,5beta,25-tetrol-6-one 25 monoacetate] has been isolated from the Alcyonacean Lobophytum pauciflorum. The structural elucidation of this novel polyoxygenated sterol was achieved by chemical and spectroscopic evidence, and by X-ray diffraction analysis.

Sinulariolide, a novel diterpene lactone has been isolated from the alcyonarian Sinularia flexibilis. Its structure [1] has been determined by using spectroscopic and chemical methods. Its relative and absolute configuration was established by X-ray diffraction as depicted in 10.

A novel, non isoprenic sesquiterpene alcohol, lemnacarnol, has been isolated from the Indo-Pacific soft coral Lemnalia carnosa. Its structure and absolute configuration have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction .

Names of natural products (NP) are usually given depending on the species of origin, be it a plant, a marine organism or a microbial species. In some cases, names have been given with reference to people, animals, music, foods or places. Many NP refer to countries, cities or specific places such as mountains, deserts, seas and oceans.On the basis of NP names, a world tour has been imagined referring to more than one hundred NP with names evocative of over 50 countries and regions.The world tour goes from UK (britannin) to Italy (vaticanol) in Europe, from Uganda (ugandoside) to Senegal (senegalene, senegalenines) in Africa, from Brazil (brasilin) to Chile (santiaguine) in South America, from Utah (utahin) to Florida (floridanolide) in the US. It includes Central America (mexicanin, panamine) and the Caribbean islands (jamaicin, bahamaolides). It also crosses Alaska (alaskene) and Canada (quebecol, canadaline). The tour continues throughout Asia, from Thailand (thailandine) to China (Chinaldine) and Pakistan (pakistanamine), to finally reaches Oceania with Australia (australigenin) and Vanuatu (vanuatine), among other countries. This virtual journey, without bordure or wall, brings us to the highest mountains (himalayamine), the deepest oceans (pacificins) and the largest deserts (desertomycin).In the current period of COVID-19 pandemia, with restricted opportunities for international travels, this NP name-based virtual journey offers a world tour to learn more from nature and to inspire scientists to contribute to the field of NP discovery and drug design. There are also limitations associated with the use of trivial names for NP. NP names can be further exploited for teaching and learning.

The synthesis of dibenzo[b,o][1,5,9,13,17]pentaazacycloeicosa[4,13]diene from bis(2-aminoethyl)amine and 4,8-diaza-2,3:9,10-dibenzoundecane-1,11-dione is described together with the crystal structure of the corresponding copper(II) diperchlorate; monoclinic, P21/c with a = 9.170(4), b = 17.059(6), c = 19.026(4) Å, β = 111.91(5)°, R = 0.095 for 1546 data with I > 3σ(I). The potentially quinquedentate ligand, 7-(2-pyridyl)-dibenzo[b,k][1,5,9,13]tetraazacyclopenta[4,9]diene was prepared as the neutral copper(II) complex from the reaction of 2-(2-pyridyl)-1,3-propanediamine with 4,7-diaza-2,3:8,9-dibenzodecane-1,10-dione and the crystal structure of this compound was undertaken; monoclinic, P21/c with a = 10.582(3), b = 25.951(5), c = 7.736(3) Å β = 106.37(5)°, R = 0.077 for 1054 data with I > 3σ(I). The macrocyclic ‘N5’ copper(II) complex was shown to contain five coordinate Cu(II) while the ‘N4N’ bifurcated copper(II) complex consists of four coordinate Cu(II) molecules in the solid state.

The structure of the hemihydrochloride of the defensive N-oxide alkaloid of the ladybird, coccinellin, C13H23NO, has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction; two molecules are linked together through their oxygen atom via a symmetrical hydrogen bond, the O–O distance being 2·43 Å.