Biogenesis-inspired chemical research of the leaves of Taiwania cryptomerioides afforded four unprecedented dimeric diterpenes, featuring a tetracyclic [7. 75, 9. 4. 05, 10. 08, 9] octodecane core: taiwanoids A–D (1–4). The structures of these compounds were determined on the basis of comprehensive spectral analysis, chemical conversions and X-ray crystallography. A possible biosynthetic pathway for compounds 1–4 was proposed. Compounds 2 and 3 exerted a 5.37 and 6.26-fold potentiation effect on bortezmib (BTZ) susceptibility at a tested concentration of 20 μM, respectively.
![Graphical abstract: Taiwanoids A–D, four dimeric diterpenoids featuring tetracyclic [7. 75, 9. 4. 05, 10. 08, 9] octodecane from Taiwania cryptomerioidesim](http://hg.y866.cn/compound/lib/scimg/usr/1/C8OB02566E.jpg)