Studies of some monocyclic and bicyclic arylacetonitriles

The high-resolution (1)H, (13)C, (1)H-(1)H COSY and (1)H-(13)C COSY NMR spectra have been recorded in CDCl(3) for arylacetonitriles 1-12 and analyzed. The arylacetonitriles 3-7 exist in two isomeric forms E (methyl group is anti to cyano group) and Z (the methyl group is syn to cyano group) in solution. Normal chair conformation with equatorial orientations of phenyl rings at C-2 and C-6 for monocyclic nitriles 1 and 2, epimeric chair structure EC (axial configuration of methyl group at C-3) for both the E and Z isomers of arylacetonitrile derivatives (3-7) and a distorted boat form, B(3), for the N-acylacetonitrile derivatives (8-10) have been proposed based on NMR data. The bicyclic nitriles 11 and 12 exist in twin chair conformations in solution. DFT calculations and chemical shifts also support these conformations. Geometry optimizations for 1-12 were carried out according to density functional theory using B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) basis set and for 1 and 8 the theoretical geometrical parameters have been compared with those of single crystal measurements.     

Development of versatile cis- and trans-dicarbon-substituted chiral cyclopropane units: synthesis of (1S,2R)- and (1R,2R)-2-aminomethyl-1-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)cyclopropanes and their enantiomers as conformationally restricted analogues of histamine

The cyclopropane ring can be used effectively in restricting the conformation of biologically active compounds to improve activity and also to investigate bioactive conformations. We designed (1S,2R)- and (1R,2R)-2-aminomethyl-1-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)cyclopropanes (1 and 2, respectively) and their enantiomers (ent-1 and ent-2) as conformationally restricted analogues of histamine. The four types of chiral cyclopropanes bearing two differentially functionalized carbon substituents in a cis or trans relationship on a cyclopropane ring, (1S,2R)-2-(tert-butyldiphenylsilyloxy)methyl-1-formylcyclopropane (7) and (1R,2R)-2-(tert-butyldiphenylsilyloxy)methyl-1-formylcyclopropane (8) and their enantiomers (ent-7 and ent-8), were developed as the key intermediates for synthesizing 1, 2, ent-1, and ent-2. The reaction between (R)-epichlorohydrin [(R)-12] and phenylsulfonylacetonitrile (13a) in the presence of NaOEt in EtOH followed by treatment with acid gave the chiral cyclopropane lactone 11a with 98% ee in 82% yield. Compound 11a was converted into both the cis- and trans-chiral cyclopropane units 7 and 8, respectively, via reductive desulfonylation with Mg/MeOH as the key step. The corresponding enantiomers, the cis-substituted ent-7 and the trans-substituted ent-8, were also prepared starting from (S)-epichlorohydrin [(S)-12]. The four conformationally restricted target histamine analogues 1, 2, ent-1, and ent-2 were successfully synthesized from 7, 8, ent-7, and ent-8, respectively. The chiral cyclopropane units 7, 8, ent-7, and ent-8 should be useful as versatile intermediates for synthesizing various compounds having an asymmetric cyclopropane structure.     

Formation of a N2-dG:N2-dG carbinolamine DNA cross-link by the trans-4-hydroxynonenal-derived (6S,8R,11S) 1,N2-dG adduct

Michael addition of trans-4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) to deoxyguanosine yields diastereomeric 1,N(2)-dG adducts in DNA. When placed opposite dC in the 5'-CpG-3' sequence, the (6S,8R,11S) diastereomer forms a N(2)-dG:N(2)-dG interstrand cross-link [Wang, H.; Kozekov, I. D.; Harris, T. M.; Rizzo, C. J. J. Am. Chem. Soc.2003, 125, 5687-5700]. We refined its structure in 5'-d(G(1)C(2)T(3)A(4)G(5)C(6)X(7)A(8)G(9)T(10)C(11)C(12))-3'·5'-d(G(13)G(14)A(15)C(16)T(17)C(18)Y(19)C(20)T(21)A(22)G(23)C(24))-3' [X(7) is the dG adjacent to the C6 carbon of the cross-link or the α-carbon of the (6S,8R,11S) 1,N(2)-dG adduct, and Y(19) is the dG adjacent to the C8 carbon of the cross-link or the γ-carbon of the HNE-derived (6S,8R,11S) 1,N(2)-dG adduct; the cross-link is in the 5'-CpG-3' sequence]. Introduction of (13)C at the C8 carbon of the cross-link revealed one (13)C8→H8 correlation, indicating that the cross-link existed predominantly as a carbinolamine linkage. The H8 proton exhibited NOEs to Y(19) H1', C(20) H1', and C(20) H4', orienting it toward the complementary strand, consistent with the (6S,8R,11S) configuration. An NOE was also observed between the HNE H11 proton and Y(19) H1', orienting the former toward the complementary strand. Imine and pyrimidopurinone linkages were excluded by observation of the Y(19)N(2)H and X(7) N1H protons, respectively. A strong H8→H11 NOE and no (3)J((13)C→H) coupling for the (13)C8-O-C11-H11 eliminated the tetrahydrofuran species derived from the (6S,8R,11S) 1,N(2)-dG adduct. The (6S,8R,11S) carbinolamine linkage and the HNE side chain were located in the minor groove. The X(7)N(2) and Y(19)N(2) atoms were in the gauche conformation with respect to the linkage, maintaining Watson-Crick hydrogen bonds at the cross-linked base pairs. A solvated molecular dynamics simulation indicated that the anti conformation of the hydroxyl group with respect to C6 of the tether minimized steric interaction and predicted hydrogen bonds involving O8H with C(20)O(2) of the 5'-neighbor base pair G(5)·C(20) and O11H with C(18)O(2) of X(7)·C(18). These may, in part, explain the stability of this cross-link and the stereochemical preference for the (6S,8R,11S) configuration.     

Constructing conformationally constrained macrobicyclic musks

To investigate the structure-odor correlation of musks, (12R)-12-methyl-13-tridecanolide (1), a macrocyclic musk, and 13-tridecanolide, its non-musky demethyl analogue, were conformationally constrained by introduction of methylene bridges between C-3 and C-8 or C-9. These [7.5.1]- and [8.4.1]-macrobicycles were synthesized starting from bicyclo[5.3.1]undec-8-en-9-one (3) and bicyclo[4.3.1]dec-7-en-8-one (8), respectively, by a sequence consisting of catalytic hydrogenation, alpha-alkylation with a TBS-protected (tert-butyldimethylsilyl) hydroxy halide, acid-catalyzed cyclization, oxidative cleavage of the formed enol ether double bond, and subsequent reduction of the carbonyl group via its tosylhydrazone. The compound (1R,6R,9R)-(+)-6-methyl-4-oxa-bicyclo[7.5.1]pentadecan-3-one (22) was found to possess the most pronounced musk odor, and this was rationalized by a superposition analysis with the polycyclic aromatic musk odorant (4S,7R)-Galaxolide (2). In its (1S,6R,9S)-(+)-stereoisomer 23 as well as in (1S,6R, 10R)-(+)-6-methyl-4-oxabicyclo[8.4.1]-pentadecan-3-one (18) the (6R)-methyl group seems to hinder the interaction with the musk receptor, while the demethyl compounds 7 and 12 showed only very faint odors.     

Synthetic studies of the HIV-1 protease inhibitive didemnaketals: stereocontrolled synthetic approach to the key mother spiroketals

The stereocontrolled synthesis of (2S,4R,6R,8S,10S,1'R,1' 'R)-2(acetylhydroxymethyl)-4,10-dimethyl-8(isopropenylhydroxymethyl)-1,7-dioxaspiro[5,5]undecane (4a) and its C1' '-epimer (4b), the key mother spiroketals of the HIV-1 protease inhibitive didemnaketals from the ascidian Didemnum sp., has been carried out through multisteps from the natural (R)-(+)-pulegone, which involved the diastereoselective construction of four chiral carbon centers(C-2, C-6, C-8, and C-1') by intramolecular chiral induce.     

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.     

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.     

Conformational analysis of sulfur-containing 6-deoxy-l-hexose derivatives by molecular modeling and NMR spectroscopy. A theoretical study and experimental evidence of intramolecular nonbonded interactions between sulfur and oxygen

6-Deoxy-l-mannose diphenyldithioacetal (1) unexpectedly gave the rearranged products phenyl 3,4-di-O-acetyl-2-S-phenyl-1,2-dithio-6-deoxy-beta-l-glucopyranoside (9) and 3,4-di-O-acetyl-2,5-anhydro-6-deoxy-l-glucose diphenyldithioacetal (10) upon treatment with acetyl chloride, while 6-deoxy-l-mannose ethylenedithioacetal (3) yielded (4aR,6S,7S,8R,8aS)-7,8-diacetyloxy-6-methylhexahydro-4aH-[1,4]dithiino[2,3b]pyran (11), whose structure was further confirmed by X-ray diffraction, and 3,4-di-O-acetyl-2,5-anhydro-l-rhamnose ethylenedithioacetal (12). The geometry of the four rearranged products as well as that of 1-thio-6-deoxy-l-mannopyranosides 5 and 7 and their acetyl derivatives 6 and 8 was studied by density functional theory (B3LYP/6-31G) molecular models, in combination with a Karplus-type analysis of the NMR vicinal coupling constants, revealing that the six-membered ring of pyranosides 5-9 and 11 exists in a slightly distorted chair conformation (6-13% distortion) and that the conformational behavior of the 2,5-anhydro-6-deoxy-l-glucose dithioacetals 10 and 12 is strongly influenced by the presence of stabilizing intramolecular nonbonded sulfur-oxygen 1,4- and 1,5-interactions. Compounds 9-12 were formed by a molecular rearrangement via sulfonium ion intermediates followed by stereoselective intramolecular cyclizations as formulated by the quantum chemical calculations performed in the present study.     

Conformational analysis of 1,4,7-trithiacyclodecane and related compounds: Synthesis and complexation studies of mesocyclic and macrocyclic polythioethers VI

Molecular mechanics (MM2) calculations have been carried out on the ten-membered ring trithioethers, 1,4,7-trithiacyclodecane (10S3) and 1,4,7-trithiacyclodecan-9-one (keto-10S3). The lowest energy conformations according to these calculations are a [1333] and a [2233] conformation, respectively. The crystal and molecular structure of the ketone, 1,4,7-trithiacyclodecan-9-one, has been determined by a single-crystal X-ray study. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁, with two molecules per unit cell of dimensions a = 7.176(1) Å, b = 5.3447(6) Å, c = 12.0914(6) Å, and β = 96.486(7)⁰, and R = 0.048. The conformation adopted by the compound in the crystalline state is a [2323] or boat-chair-boat conformation with two sulfur atoms endodentate and one sulfur atom exodentate.     

Tobacco chemistry. 65. Two new 7,8-epoxycembranoids from tobacco

Two new diterpenoids have been isolated from tobacco. They have been identified as the (1S,2E,4S,6R,7R,8R,11E)- and (1S,2E,4S,6R,7S,8S,11E)-7,8-epoxy-2,11-cembradiene-4,6-diols 1 and 2 by synthesis and X-ray analysis. The conformation about the 5,6 bond in some 7,8-epoxycembranoids is discussed, as is the biogenesis of the two new compounds.     

Photo-Arbuzov rearrangements of 1-arylethyl phosphites: stereochemical studies and the question of radical-pair intermediates.

The direct UV irradiation of the 1-arylethyl phosphites 7, 8, and 9 was carried out in acetonitrile, benzene, and cyclohexane, as was the triphenylene-sensitized reaction of 9. Dimethyl 1-phenylethyl phosphite, 7, gives the photo-Arbuzov rearrangement product, dimethyl 1-phenylethylphosphonate (10), in 67% average yield and minor amounts (2%) of 2,3-diphenylbutane (11a) in quantum yields of 0.32 and 0.02, respectively. The photorearrangement of optically active, predominantly (R)-1-phenylethyl phosphite 7 (R/S = 97/3; 94% ee), at 35-40 degrees C proceeds with a high degree of stereospecificity at the stereogenic migratory carbon to give predominantly (R)-10 (R/S = 86/14, 72 +/- 2% ee). Use of the nitroxide radical trap TEMPO affords phosphonate 10, presumably all cage product, from predominantly (R)-7 (R/S = 97/3; 94% ee) in 64% yield (80% ee, R/S = 90/10). By contrast, the 1-(4-acetylphenyl)-ethyl phosphite, predominantly (S)-8 (S/R = 98/2, 96% ee), on direct irradiation gives the corresponding phosphonate (12) in only 20% yield along with dimer 11b in 40% accountability yield. Phosphonate 12 is nearly racemic (R/S = 52/48). Direct irradiation of predominantly (R)-9 (R/S = 98/2, 96% ee), a 1-(1-naphthyl)ethyl phosphite, results in a product distribution similar to that from predominantly (R)-7, but with a somewhat higher degree of retention of configuration in the product phosphonate 13 (R/S = 93/7, 86 +/- 3 ee). By contrast, the triplet triphenylene-sensitized photorearrangement of largely (R)-9 (R/S = 98/2, 96% ee) leads to product distributions similar to those from direct irradiation of predominantly (S)-8 and is accompanied by almost total loss of stereochemistry in its product phosphonate, 13 (R/S = 51/49). The partial loss of stereochemistry on direct irradiation of 7 and 9 provides evidence for radical pair formation. Furthermore, these stereochemical results are diagnostic of the multiplicity of the initial radical pair formed. Values for kcomb/krot for the proximate free radical pairs from 7 and 9, derived experimentally, are severalfold larger than those for the proximate singlet pair from Ph2C=C=N-CHPhMe, corrected to 35 degrees C. The possibility that kcomb is increased for the pairs from 7 and 9 is proposed.     

Total Synthesis of (+)-Sinefungin

Sinefungin (1) a nucleoside antibiotic isolated from Streptomyces has been synthesized from D-ribose. Both the C-6 and C-9 stereogenic centers were constructed by efficient asymmetric syntheses. The C-6 amine stereochemistry was set by a highly diastereoselective allylation (>99% de) of a (1S,2R)-1-amino-2-indanol-derived oxazolidinone 9 followed by a Curtius rearrangement of 11 to 12. The C-9 amino acid stereochemistry of sinefungin (1) was established by a rhodium chiral bisphosphine-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of an alpha-(acylamino)acrylate derivative. The anomeric adenosylation of the mixture of anomeric acetates 20 in the presence of C-6 urethane NH was found to be extremely difficult. Conversion of the C-6 urethane NH as its N-benzyl derivative 21 was necessary prior to the adenosylation reaction. Successful adenosylation was effectively carried out by Vorbrüggen's protocol utilizing persilylated N(6)-benzoyladenine and trimethylsilyl triflate.     

Determination of the preferred conformation of the bicyclic Galerucella pheromone using density functional theory optimization and calculations of chemical shifts

A pheromone from the beetle, Galerucella calmariensis, was recently isolated and identified (Bartelt, R. J. et al. J. Chem. Ecol. 2006, 32, 693-712) as a 14-carbon, bicyclic dimethylfuran lactone, with the systematic name 12,13-dimethyl-5,14-dioxabicyclo[9.2.1]tetradeca-1(13),11-dien-4-one. The main 12-membered lactone ring is very flexible; as a result, there exist multiple possible conformations. The preferred conformation cannot be deduced solely from room-temperature NMR measurements. Using density functional (DFT) studies, 26 unique conformers with energies within 10.0 kcal/mol of the global minimum-energy structure were found. A mirror-image plane exists so that each conformer has an "inverse" structure with the same energy, for which the dihedral angles around the flexible ring have opposite sign. The isotropic 1H and 13C NMR chemical shifts of the DFT-optimized structures were calculated using the gauge-including atomic orbital (GIAO) method. By considering the relative energies of the conformers and the calculated and observed NMR spectra, we concluded that the molecule exists primarily as a mixture of two distinct conformers at room temperature, each being present with its mirror-image inverse. Structural interconversions among these likely occur on a time scale that is fast compared to the NMR experiments. Using mode-following and dihedral-driving techniques, several potential pathways were found for the conversion of the lowest-energy conformer to its mirror-image structure. Ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) using the 4-31G basis set was carried out for 50 ps to test the availability of various low-energy minima and the transition states found from the searches noted above.     

Efficient synthesis of enantiopure pyrrolizidinone amino acid

Enantiopure (3S,5R,8S)-3-[N-(Boc)amino]-1-azabicyclo[3.3.0]octan-2-one 8-carboxylic acid (1) was synthesized in nine steps and 16% overall yield from aspartate beta-aldehyde 7. Carbene-catalyzed acyloin condensation of 7, followed by acetylation and samarium iodide reduction, gave linear precursor (2S,7S)-alpha,omega-diamino-4-oxosuberate 11, which was converted to N-(Boc)aminopyrrolizidin-2-one carboxylic acid 1 by a reductive amination/lactam cyclization sequence. X-ray analysis of (3S,5R,8S)-methyl N-(Boc)aminopyrrolizidin-2-one carboxylate 21 showed that its internal backbone dihedral angles (psi = -149 degrees, phi = -49 degrees ) were in good agreement with the ideal values for a type II' beta-turn. Proton NMR experiments on N'-methyl-N-(Boc)aminopyrrolizidin-2-one carboxamide 23 demonstrated significantly different NH chemical displacements and temperature coefficients suggestive of solvent shielded and exposed hydrogens indicative of a turn conformation. Because pyrrolizidinone amino acids can serve as conformationally rigid dipeptide surrogates, this synthesis should facilitate their application in the exploration of conformation-activity relationships of various biologically active peptides.     

Persistent carbocations from bay region methoxy-substituted cyclopenta[a]phenanthrene and its derivatives. A structure/reactivity study

Using 500 MHz NMR, we have carried out a stable ion protonation and model nitration study of the methoxy-substituted hydrocarbon 6, its 15-ol 7, and the dimer 10, in order to evaluate OMe substituent effects on directing electrophilic attack and on charge delocalization mode/conformational aspects in the resulting carbocations. It is found that the C-11 methoxy group directs the electrophilic attack to C-12 and C-14. Thus protonation of 6 with FSO(3)H/SO(2)ClF gives a 4:1 mixture of monoarenium ions 6H(+)()/6aH(+)(). Prolonged reaction times and increased temperature induced fluorosulfonylation at C-14 (6(+)-SO(2)()F), whereas ambient nitration with NO(2)(+)BF(4)(-) occurred at C-12. The 15-ol derivative 7 is cleanly ionized to 11(+)(), providing the first example of an alpha-phenanthrene-substituted carbocation from phenanthrene C-1 position. Contrasting behavior of the D-ring methyl-substituted 9 and the C-11 methoxy-substituted 10 dimers is remarkable in that unlike 9 which is readily cleaved to produce the monomeric arenium ion 3H(+)(), 10 is diprotonated at the two C-12 sites and at C-12/C-14 in each unit. The latter dication-dimer exists as a mixture of diastereomers. Reactivity of 7 underscores the importance of 11(+)(). Attack at the C-14 ring junction is in concert with the proposal that electrophilic oxygen would attack at C-14/C-15 (epoxidation) followed by ring opening to give the biologically active 15-ol as a major metabolite.     

Stereospecificity of an enzymatic monoene 1,4-dehydrogenation reaction: conversion of (Z)-11-tetradecenoic acid into (E,E)-10,12-tetradecadienoic acid

In this article, we report the first stereochemical study of an enzymatic 1,4-dehydrogenation reaction, namely, the transformation of (Z)-11-tetradecenoic acid into (E,E)-10,12-tetradecadienoic acid, involved in the sex pheromone biosynthesis of the moth Spodoptera littoralis. The investigation was carried out using the labeled substrates (R)-[10-(2)H]- and (S)-[10-(2)H]-tridecanoic acids ((R)-2 and (S)-2, respectively) and (R)-[2,2,3,3,13-(2)H(5)]- and (S)-[2,2,3,3,13-(2)H(5)]-tetradecanoic acids ((R)-1 and (S)-1, respectively). Probes (R)-2 and (S)-2 were prepared as described in a previous article.(1) The synthesis of the pentadeuterated chiral substrates (R)-1 and (S)-1 was accomplished by kinetic resolution of the racemic 12-tridecyn-2-ol (6) with immobilized porcine pancreatic lipase. The enantiomerically pure alcohols (R)-6 and (S)-6 were transformed into the final acids (S)-1 and (R)-1, respectively, by a sequence of well-established reactions. The analyses of methanolyzed lipidic extracts from glands incubated separatedly with each individual probe showed that in the transformation of (Z)-11-tetradecenoic acid into (E,E)-10,12-tetradecadienoic acid, both pro-(R) hydrogen atoms at C-10 and C-13 are removed from the substrate. This is the first example reported of a desaturase with pro-(R)/pro-(R) stereospecificities that gives rise to (E)-double bonds. A mechanistic explanation for the stereochemical outcome of this reaction is advanced.     

Taibaihenryiin C的构型、构象及晶体结构

从太白山产的鄂西香茶菜中分离得到新骨架的二萜类化合物TaibaihenryiinC,对其进行X射线衍射晶体结构分析,确定其分子中各取代基的相对构型、环构象及晶体结构.研究表明,C-3位的羟基和C-11位的乙酰氧基以C-20位的甲基为参考均位于β位;分子中的A环为椅式构象,B,C环接近于船式构象,D环接近于信封式构象.特别是在D环中存在较大的扭转角,使D环中有内应力存在,这表明该化合物具有潜在的生理活性.TaibaihenryiinC的晶体结构属正交晶系,P2₁2₁2₁空间群,晶胞参数a=0.6162(1)nm,b=1.2730(1)nm,c=2.5193(3)nm,Z=4.在晶体中分子间通过C-3位的-OH氢与C-11位的乙酰氧基上的羰基氧形成分子间氢键,使分子在晶体中沿a轴呈螺旋结构排列.     

Synthesis of novel 4(5)-(5-aminotetrahydropyran-2-yl)imidazole derivatives and their in vivo release of neuronal histamine measured by brain microdialysis

The (2R,5S)-trans- and (2S,5S)-cis-stereoisomers 1a and 1b of 4(5)-(5-aminotetrahydropyran-2-yl)imidazole, which have two chiral centers and adopt a stable chair conformation, were synthesized via cyclization of diol intermediates 7 using L-glutamine as the starting material. Their enantiomers, (2S,5R)-trans-1c and (2R,5R)-cis-1d, were synthesized by the same methodology from D-glutamine. Stereo isomers 1a-d were converted into cyanoguanidines 11a-d, and into N-isopropyl and N-3,3-dimethylbutyl derivatives 12a-d and 13a-d, respectively. The results of in vivo brain microdialysis of the derivatives apparently indicated that only (2S,5R)-isomers increased the release of neuronal histamine. Among the many (2S,5R)-N-alkyl derivatives, 13c (OUP-133) and 18 (OUP-153) increased histamine release to 180-190% and 180-200% of basal levels, respectively, and were found to be novel histamine H(3) antagonists.     

The crystal and molecular structure of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid b.

The crystal and molecular structure of the title compound C-22H-30O-4, has been determined by X-ray methods using 1106 reflections above background level collected by counter methods. The crystals are orthorhombic, space group P2-12-12-1 with cell dimensions a equals 16.514(2) A; b equals 14.324(2) A; c equals 8.744(1) A; there are four molecules per unit cell. The structure was refined to an R of 0.084 (weighted R-w equals 0.068). The cyclohexene and the pyran part of the molecule occurs in the half-chair conformation. The bond distances and angles, and a slight twist of the benzene ring, indicate considerable stains in the aromatic system. Both the phenolic and carboxylic group are significantly out of the plane through the aromatig ring. The angle between this plane and a plane through the cyclohexene ring is 37.7 degrees. The pentyl sidechain occurs in an extended gauche conformation, and the thermal parameters of this part of the molecule are very high. The molecules are held together by van der Waals forces in the c-directions, and hydrogen bonds (2.688 A) from phenolic to carboxylic groups in the a-b plane. There is a short ultra-molecular hydrogen bond (2.490 A) from the carboxylic group to the pyran oxygen.     

Alkaloids ofHypecoum erectum,the structure of hyperectine

The structure of a new spirobenzylisoquinoline alkaloid fromHypecoum erectum L. has been established by spectral methods and also by the x-ray structural analysis of its methiodide. It has been shown that the alkaloid, which has been called hyperectine, has a pentacyclic structure in which the tetrahydroisoquinoline fragment has the sofa conformation and the indan fragment the envelope conformation. The natural alkaloid is a mixture of the enantiomeric C-8(S), C-16(R), and C-8(R), C-16(S) forms.All-Union Scientific-Research Institute of Medicinal Plants, Moscow. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 5, pp. 628–635, September–October, 1984.