Antimicrobial trinervitane derivatives

A compound of the formula:

• wherein the compound comprises at least one double bond between the carbon atoms selected from the group consisting of:
• C1 and C14, C9 and C10, and C7 and C8;
• and
• wherein;
• each independently denotes a single or double bond or an epoxidised bond, and
• (i) substituents A1 to A16 are selected, independently, from H, OH, O, SH, NH2, lower alkyl, lower alkene, lower alkyne, lower alkoxy, lower carboxy, lower aldehyde groups, lower ketone groups, lower ester groups, lower acyloxy groups, lower alcohol groups, lower alkylthio, lower alkylamino, lower alkylsulfonyl, lower alkylsulfinyl and lower alkylsulfonyloxy, or
• (ii) any one or more of substituent pairs A1 and A2, A1 and A3, A2 and A3, A2 and A4, A3and A4, A3 and A5, A4 and A5, A4 and A6, A5 and A6, A5 and A7, A6 and A7, A6 and A8, A7and A8, A7 and A9, A8 and A9, A8and A10, A9 and A10, A9 and A11, A10 and A11, A10 and A12, A11 and A12, A11 and A13, A12 and A13, A12 and A14, A13 and A14, A1 and A13, A1 and A14, and A2 and A14 form a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group, wherein any substituents, including A15 and A16, not forming a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic ring, are selected independently from H, OH, O, SH, NH2, lower alkyl, lower alkene, lower alkyne, lower alkoxy, lower carboxy, lower aldehyde groups, lower ketone groups, lower ester groups, lower acyloxy groups, lower alcohol groups, lower alkylthio, lower alkylamino, lower alkylsulfonyl, lower alkylsulfinyl and lower alkylsulfonyloxy;
• and
• wherein A1 or A7 may be absent;
• and
• wherein any one of A2, A3, A5, A6 and A8 to A15 may be bonded to the ring structure of Formula (1) by a single or double bond or an epoxidised bond;
• and
• optical isomers, hydrates, solvates and/or salts or derivatives thereof;
• with the proviso that the compound is not 7(8),11(12),15(17)-trinervitatriene-2α,3α-diol.