Toxic fungal mixture from Pithomyces chartarum Ellis (Sporidesmium bakeri Sydow), composed of sporidesmins A-H and J, as causative agent of “facial eczema” in sheep. First isoln of A (major metabolite): R. L. M. Synge, E. P. White, Chem. Ind. (London) 1959, 1546. Isoln of A and B: J. W. Ronaldson et al., J. Chem. Soc. C 1963, 3172. Structure of A: J. Fridrichsons, A. M. Mathieson, Tetrahedron Lett. 1962, 1265. Abs config of A: A. F. Beecham et al., ibid. 1966, 3131. Isoln and structure of D and F: W. D. Jamieson et al., J. Chem. Soc. C 1969, 1564; of E: R. Rahman et al., ibid. 1665; of G: E. Francis et al., J. Chem. Soc. Perkin Trans. 1 1972, 470; of H and J: R. Rahman et al., ibid. 1978, 1476. Total synthesis of A: Y. Kishi et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 95, 6493 (1973).