Varacin

Varacin is a bicyclic organosulfur compound originally found in marine Ascidiacea from the Polycitor genus. It contains an unusual 1,2,3,4,5-benzopentathiepine ring system.

Bioactivity

The compound reacts with DNA. Synthetic analogues have been investigated for their antimicrobial and antitumour properties. Because of its potent biological activity and unusual and challenging ring system, it has been a popular target of efforts toward its total synthesis.
Varacin and a few related polysulfur natural products potentially exhibit planar chirality.