It has been recognized'q2 in the past few years that a number of sesquiterpene lactones and other derivatives obtained from natural sources bearing a-methylene-ybutyrolactone and related moieties have exhibited interesting biological activity and significant antitumor activity. It soon was characterized that the O= CC= CH2 moiety itself, present in vernolepin, 2 elephantopin,* etc. is responsible for biological activity. The cytotoxic activity of a- ...