Studies on Nepalese crude drugs. XXIX. Chemical constituents of Dronapuspi, the whole herb of Leucas cephalotes SPRENG

From the whole herb of Leucas cephalotes SPRENG., new labdane-, norlabdane- and abietane-type diterpenes named leucasdins A (1), B (2) and C (3), respectively, and two protostane-type triterpenes named leucastrins A (4) and B (5) were isolated, together with a known triterpene, oleanolic acid, five sterols, 7-oxositosterol, 7-oxostigmasterol, 7alpha-hydroxysitosterol, 7alpha-hydroxystigmasterol and stigmasterol, and eight flavones, 5-hydroxy-7,4'-dimethoxyflavone, pillion, gonzalitosin I, tricin, cosmosin, apigenin 7-O-beta-D-(6-O-p-coumaroyl)glucopyranoside, anisofolin A and luteolin 4'-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranoside. The structures of 1--5 were determined as (3S,6R,8R,9R,13S,16S)-9,13,15,16-bisepoxy-3,16-diacetoxy-6-formyloxylabdane, (3S,6R)-3-acetoxy-6-formyloxy-iso-ambreinolide, (4R,9S,12R,13R)-12,13-dihydroxyabiet-7-en-18-oic acid, (3S,17S,20S,24S)-3,20-dihydroxy-24-methylprotost-25-en, and (3S,17S,20S,24S)-3,20,24-trihydroxyprotost-25-en respectively, based on spectral and chemical data.     

Wedelolides A and B: novel sesquiterpene delta-lactones, (9R)-eudesman-9,12-olides, from Wedelia trilobata

Two new sesquiterpene lactones, wedelolides A (1) and B (2), were isolated by bioassay-guided fractionation from the leaves of Wedelia trilobata, together with known trilobolides 6-O-isobutyrate (3) and 6-O-methacrylate (4). The compounds 1 and 2 were the first examples of an unprecedented framework: a novel sesquiterpene delta-lactone, (9R)-eudesman-9,12-olide. The structures of the antimalarial wedelolides A (1) and B (2) were determined on the basis of MS and 2D NMR spectral analysis. The absolute configuration of eight carbon stereocenters of compounds 1 and 2 was determined to be 1S,4S,5S,6R,7S,8S,9R,10S by mean of auxiliary chiral MTPA derivatives.     

Turpinionosides A-E: megastigmane glucosides from leaves of Turpinia ternata Nakai

From leaves of Turpenia ternata (Staphylaceae), one megastigmane and seven of its glucosides (1-8) were isolated. Megastigmane and two of the glucosides were found to be known compounds, namely, 3S,5R,6R,9S-tetrahydroxymegastigmane (1), corchoionoside C (2), and icariside B4 (3). The structures of compounds 4-8 (turpinionosides A-E, respectively) were elucidated by means of spectroscopic analyses, and then their absolute structures were determined by the modified Mosher's method to be (3S,5R,6S,9S)-3,6,9-trihydroxymegastigman-7-ene 3-O- and 9-O-beta-D-glucopyranosides (4, 5, respectively), (1S,3S,5R,6S,9R)-3,9,12-trihydroxymegastigmane 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (6), (3S,4R,9R)-3,4,6-trihydroxymegastigman-5-ene 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (7), and (2S,9R)-2,9-dihydroxymegastigman-5-en-4-one 2-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (8).     

A set of two diastereomers of cyanogenic glycosides from Passiflora quadrangularis

A set of two diastereomers of phenylcyano glycosides, (7S)- and (7R)-phenylcyanomethyl 1'-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1, 2), were isolated from the methanol extract of dried vines of P. quadrangularis. The absolute configurations of the benzylic methine centers were determined mainly by the comparison of 13C NMR spectra of these compounds, prunasin (3) and sambunigrin (4), of which the last two cyanoglycosides are known to have (R)- and (S)-configurations, respectively.     

Chemical constituents from Aphanamixis grandifolia

(23E)-25-Methylcycloart-23-en-3β-ol (1), a cycloartane-type triterpenoid featuring an unusual skeleton of 31 carbon atoms, (17E)-cycloart-17,26-dien-3β-ol (2), a new cycloartane-type triterpenoid, and the other two new compounds 4R-hydroxy-4-(9S-hydroxy-12-methylhexan-6-yl)-3-methylcyclopent-2-enone (6) and 7-hydroxy-5-(2'-hydroxy-4',5'-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-methoxy-6-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone (7), together with three known cycloart-3β-ol triterpenoids (3-5) were isolated from aerial parts of Aphanamixis grandifolia. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis, and that of 1 was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The absolute configuration of two carbon stereocenters of compound 6 was determined to be 4R,9S by means of circular dichroism (CD) and auxiliary chiral α-methoxy-α-(trifluoromethyl)phenylacetic acid (MTPA) derivatives, respectively. The compound 3 exhibited significant cytotoxicities against HL-60, Hep G2 and HeLa, and compounds 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7 exhibited modest cytotoxicities. No activity of compound 4 could be due to the absence of the hydroxyl group at C-24.     

Simiranes A and B: erythroxylanes diterpenes and other compounds from Simira eliezeriana (Rubiaceae)

The first phytochemical study of Simira eliezeriana Peixoto (Rubiaceae) allowed the isolation and structural determination of two new diterpenes named simirane A [(5R,6R,8R,9R,10S,11S,13S)-6β,11β-dihydroxy-2,4(18),15-erythroxylatrien-1-one] (1) and simirane B [(5S,8R,9R,10S,11S,13S)-11β-hydroxy-2,4(18),15-erythroxylatrien-1-one] (2), together with seven known compounds: sitosterol (3), stigmasterol (4), campesterol (5), coniferaldehyde (6), vanillin (7), pinoresinol (8) and harman (9) from the bark of the plant. The structures of the compounds were established on the basis of spectroscopic methods, including 1-D and 2-D NMR, HRESI-MS and CD analysis and comparisons with available literature data of known compounds.     

Cyclobutanones through SNi' ring closure, a mechanistic study

Mechanistic studies on the intramolecular nucleophilic substitution with allylic rearrangement (SNi' reaction) and a new stereoselective access to substituted cyclobutanones are reported. 4,4-Dialkyl-5-oxohex-2E-en-1-yl methanesulfonates 4 were converted to 2,2-dialkyl-3-vinylcyclobutanones 6 by SNi' ring closure. The stereochemical analysis of the reaction was achieved through ring closure of (6S)-6-chloro-3,3-diethylhept-4E-en-2-one (S)-17, defined by the absolute configuration of C(6), leading to (3S)-2,2-diethyl-3-(prop-1E-en-1-yl)cyclobutanone (S)-(E)-18 and (3R)-2,2-diethyl-3-(prop-1Z-en-1-yl)cyclobutanone (R)-(Z)-18, in a ratio of 85:15, with almost complete transfer of chirality (>97%). The absolute configuration of (S)-17 was determined by X-ray diffraction analysis of the camphanoate derivative 16. The absolute configuration of the cyclobutanone products (S)-(E)-18 and (R)-(Z)-18 was determined by Raman optical activity spectroscopy. Comparison of the absolute configuration of (S)-17 and the resulting (E)- and (Z)-cyclobutanones 18 allowed the conclusion that the SNi' reaction proceeds with syn geometry relative to the leaving group.     

A novel 8.O.6'-neolignan from Taxillus theifer

A new 8.O.6'-neolignan, threo-(7R,?8R)-7-acetoxy-3',4'-dimethoxy-3,4-dimethoxy-Δ-(8')-8.O.6'-neolignan (1) along with two known lignans (2) and (3), was isolated from the leaves and stems of Taxillus theifer. Structural elucidation was carried out by 1-D and 2-D-NMR spectroscopic methods, and the absolute configurations of C-7 and C-8 in 1 were determined on the basis of circular dichroism. Compound 2 is threo-7-acetoxy-3'-methoxy-3,4-dimethoxy-Δ-(7')-8.O.4'-neolignan obtained from a natural source for the first time, previously derived from a synthesis study of 8,4'-oxyneolignans.     

Five new nortropane alkaloids and six new amino acids from the fruit of Morus alba LINNE growing in Turkey

Investigation of the constituents of the fruits of Morus alba LINNE (Moraceae) afforded five new nortropane alkaloids (1-5) along with nor-psi-tropine (6) and six new amino acids, morusimic acids A-F (7-12). The structures of the new compounds were determined to be 2alpha,3beta-dihydroxynortropane (1), 2beta,3beta-dihydroxynortropane (2), 2alpha,3beta,6exo-trihydroxynortropane (3), 2alpha,3beta,4alpha-rihydroxynortropane (4), 3beta,6exo-dihydroxynortropane (5), (3R)-3-hydroxy-12-[(1S,4S)-4-[(1S)-1-hydroxyethyl]-pyrrolidin-1-yll-dodecanoic acid-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (7), (3R)-3-hydroxy-12-[(1S,4S)-4-[(1S)-1-hydroxyethyl]-pyrrolidin-1-yll-dodecanoic acid (8), (3R)-3-hydroxy-12-1(1R,4R,5S)-4-hydroxy-5-methyl-piperidin-1-yll-dodecanoic acid-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (9), (3R)-3-hydroxy-12-[(1R,4R,5S)-4-hydroxy-5-methyl-piperidin-1-yll-dodecanoic acid (10), (3R)-3-hydroxy-12-[(1R,4R,5S)-4-hydroxy-5-hydroxymethyl-piperidin-1-yl]-dodecanoic acid-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (11), and (3R)-3-hydroxy-12-[(1R,4S,5S)-4-hydroxy-5-methyl-piperidin-1-yl]-dodecanoic acid (12) on the basis of spectral and chemical data.     

Polyphenols from Sophora yunnanensis, and their inhibitory effects on nitric oxide production

A new flavonoid, (2R,3R)-3,7,4'-trihydroxy-3',5'-dimethoxyflavanone, named sophorayunnanol (1), together with eight known polyphenols (2-9), were isolated from the roots of Sophora yunnanensis C.Y.MA (Leguminosae). The structure including absolute stereochemistry of 1 was determined by spectroscopic (high resolution (HR)-MS, 1D- and 2D-NMR, and circular dichroism (CD)) methods. The inhibitory activity of these compounds was examined against nitric oxide (NO) production by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferon (IFN)-γ activated macrophages, RAW264.7 cells. 3,7,3',5'-Tetrahydroxy-4'-methoxyflavone (6) and piceatannol (9) showed potent inhibitory activity against the production of NO with IC(50) values of 14.4±2.5 and 12.9±1.8 μM, respectively. This article is the first report on phytochemical study of S. yunnanensis.     

Two new compounds from Dendrobium candidum

Two new compounds were isolated from the stems of Dendrobium candidum: (R)-3,4-dihydroxy-5,4',alpha-trimethoxybibenzyl (1), named dendrocandin A; and 4-[2-[(2S,3S)-3-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-hydroxymethyl-8-methoxy-2,3-dihydrobenzo[1,4]dioxin-6-yl]ethyl]-1-methoxyl benzene (2), dendrocandin B. Five previously known bibenzyls were also identified: 4,4'-dihydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybibenzyl (3), 3,4-dihydroxy-5,4'-dimethoxybibenzyl (4), 3-O-methylgigantol (5), dendrophenol (6), and gigantol (7).     

Facile Synthesis of Enantiomerically Pure 1-（5-Bromo-2-chlorophenyl）-1-（4-ethoxyphenyl）ethane

A facile 7-step procedure for the synthesis of enantiomerically pure 1-（5-bromo-2-chlorophenyl）-1-（4-ethoxyphenyl）ethanes[（R）-2 and（S）-2] that started from （5-bromo-2-chlorophenyl）（4-ethoxyphenyl）methanone 3 was developed.The key step was the resolution of 2-（5-bromo-2-chlorophenyl）-2-（4-ethoxyphenyl）acetic acid 6 by crystallizations of its L-and D-menthyl esters 7 and 8 from petroleum ether to give optically pure enantiomers 9 and 10,respectively.The absolute configurations of the products were unambiguously determined by single-crystal X-ray diffractions of four key intermediates,9,10,13 and 14.This procedure is characterized by inexpensiveness,scalability and ability to produce two individual enantiomers of a diarylethane with unambiguously determined absolute configurations and high enantiomeric purities.     

Absolute stereochemistry of amphidinolide C

[structure in text] The absolute configurations at 12 chiral centers in amphidinolide C (1), a potent cytotoxic 25-membered macrolide isolated from a marine dinoflagellate Amphidinium sp., were determined to be 3S, 4R, 6R, 7R, 8R, 12R, 13S, 16S, 20R, 23R, 24R, and 29S by combination of NMR analyses, degradation experiments, and synthesis of the C-1-C-7 segment.     

Three new biflavonoids from Chinese dragon's blood, Dracaena cochinchinensis

Three new biflavonoids, named (2RyS)-3'-methoxy-8-methylsocotrin-4'-ol (1), (2SyR)-3'-methoxy-8-methylsocotrin-4'-ol (2), and (2RyR)-8-methylsocotrin-4'-ol (3), were isolated from Chinese Dragon's blood [Dracaena cochinchinensis (Lour.) S. C. Chen], together with two known ones. The structures of these new biflavonoids were elucidated by a combination of HR-ESI-MS, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, HMQC, and HMBC spectra. The absolute configurations of compounds 1-4 were determined by quantum chemical calculation of the circular dichroism spectrum and comparison with the experimental CD spectrum.     

(3R,4aR,5S,6R)-6-Hydroxy-5-methylramulosin: a new ramulosin derivative from a marine-derived sterile mycelium

(3R,4aR,5S,6R)-6-Hydroxy-5-methylramulosin (1) was isolated from a culture of a sterile mycelium, which was derived from the green alga, Codium fragile, along with (-)-5-methylmellein (2), (-)-5-hydroxymethylmellein (3), and (-)-(3R,4R)-cis-4-hydroxy-5-methylmellein (4). The absolute configuration of 1 was determined by the NMR data along with the lactone sector rule by circular dichroism (CD). Compound 1 exhibited moderate cytotoxic activity against HeLa cells.     

Concise syntheses of coronarin A, coronarin E, austrochaparol and pacovatinin A

Total syntheses of (+)-coronarin A (1), (+)-coronarin E (2), (+)-austrochaparol (3) and (+)-pacovatinin A (4) were achieved from the synthetic (+)-albicanyl acetate (6). Dess-Martin oxidation of (+)-albicanol (5) derived from the chemoenzymatic product (6) gave an aldehyde (7), which was subjected to Julia one-pot olefination using beta-furylmethyl-heteroaromatic sulfones (8 or 9 ) gave (+)-trans coronarin E (2) and (+)-cis coronarin E (12) with high cis-selectivity. The synthesis of (+)-coronarin A (1) from (+)-trans coronarin E (2) was achiev-ed, while (+)-cis coronarin E (12) was converted to the natural products (+)-(5S,9S,10S)-15,16-epoxy-8(17),13(16),14-labdatriene (13) and (+)-austrochaparol (3). By the asymmetric synthesis of (+)-3, the absolute structure of (+)-3 was determined to be 5S, 7R, 9R, 10S configurations. Homologation of (+)-albicanol (5) followed by allylic oxidation gave (7 alpha)-hydroxy nitrile (17), which was finally converted to the natural (+)-pacovatinin A (4) in 8 steps from (+)-albicanol (5).     

Three new oblongolides from Phomopsis sp. XZ-01, an endophytic fungus from Camptotheca acuminate

Four new metabolites, including three new oblongolides named C1, P1, and X1 (1-3) and 6-hydroxyphomodiol (10), along with eight known compounds--oblongolides B (4), C (5), D (6), O (7), P (8) and U (9), (3R,4aR,5S,6R)-6-hydroxy-5-methylramulosin (11), and (3R)-5-methylmellein (12)--were isolated from the endophytic fungal strain Phomopsis sp. XZ-01 of Camptotheca acuminate. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses, including 1H- and 13C-NMR, 2D NMR (HSQC, HMBC, 1H-1H COSY and NOESY) and HR-FT-MS. Cytotoxic activities of these compounds were evaluated. Some of them showed weak selective activities.     

Isolation and structure of four new ceramides from the starfish Luidia maculata

A new sphingosine-type ceramide LMCer-1-1 (1) and three new phytosphingosine-type ceramides, LMCer-2-1 (2), LMCer-2-6 (3), and LMCer-2-7 (4), were isolated from the anti-hyperglycemic active ceramide molecular species LMCer-1 and LMCer-2, obtained from the less polar fraction of the chloroform-methanol extract of the whole bodies of Luidia maculata. The structures of these ceramides were determined on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidence as: (2S,3R,4E,2'R)-2-(2-hydroxyhexadecanoylamino)-16-methyl-4-octadecene-1,3-diol (1), (2S,3S,4R,2'R)-2-(2-hydroxyhexadecanoylamino)-16-methyl-octadecane-1,3,4-triol (2), (2S,3S,4R,2'R)-2-(2-hydroxydocosanoylamino)-hexadecane-1,3,4-triol (3), and (2S,3S,4R,2'R)-2-(2-hydroxydocosanoylamino)-14-methyl-hexadecane-1,3,4-triol (4).     

Biotransformation of clovane derivatives. Whole cell fungi mediated domino synthesis of rumphellclovane A

Here we describe the biotransformation of clovane derivatives by filamentary fungi Pestalotiopsis palustris and Penicillium minioluteum, and the application of the latter to the synthesis and determination of the absolute configuration of rumphellclovane A (2). Methoxyclovanol (1), a growth inhibitor of the phytopathogen Botrytis cinerea, is metabolised by P. palustris to yield rumphellclovane A (2), a natural compound recently isolated from the gorgonian coral Rumphella antipathies, two new compounds, (1R,2S,5S,8R,9S,10R)-2-methoxyclovane-9,10-diol (5) and (1S,2S,5S,7R,8R,9R)-2-methoxyclovane-7,9-diol (6), hydroxylated in positions not easily accessed by classic synthetic chemistry, and clovanodiols 3 and 4. P. minioluteum is able to selectively transform methoxyclovanol (1) into clovanodiols 3 and 4 and, in turn, lactone 8, the putative intermediate in the above mentioned synthesis of rumphellclovane A (2), into compound 2 via a domino process. The ability of P. minioluteum to carry out the cleavage of ethers on clovane derivatives is also evaluated.     

New cannabinoid-like chromane and chromene derivatives from Rhododendron anthopogonoides

Two new cannabinoid-like chromane and chromene derivatives named anthopogocyclolic acid (1) and anthopogochromenic acid (2) and five related compounds (3-7) which are known as synthetic analogues of cannabinoids: cannabichromene (CBC) type, cannabicyclol (CBL) type, and cannabicitran (CBT) type, have been isolated together with geranyl orsellinic acid (8) from the Chinese medicinal plant Rhododendron anthopogonoides. Their structures were elucidated based on spectroscopic and chemical evidence. The absolute configuration of the asymmetric carbons at C-2 of 1-7 was determined to be S from their circular dichroism (CD) spectra. Compounds 2, 4 and 6 inhibited compound 48/80-induced histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells.