Isolierung,Konstitution und Synthese der (R)-(−)-Eucominsäure

From the bulbs of Eucomis punctata L'Hérit. (Liliaceae) and of a hitherto undefined species of Eucomis a new optically active phenolic carboxylic acid, eucomic acid, was isolated. Structure 1 was assigned on the basis of chemical and spectral evidence. The absolute configuration of eucomic acid was determined by its correlation with piscidic acid ((2 R, 3 S)-2-(4′-hydroxybenzyl)-tartaric acid) ( 8 ). Consequently, eucomic acid is (R)-(?)-2-(4′-hydroxybenzyl)-malic acid ( 1 ). For the stereospecific synthesis, methyl cis-p-methoxybenzylidene-succinic acid ( 22 ) was transformed into the γ-lactone 24 which, by catalytic hydrogenolysis, yielded (±)-2-(4′-hydroxybenzyl)-malic acid 1-methyl ester ( 27 ). Resolution with (?)-quinine led to the enantiomeric acids 29 and 30 . The methyl ester of the levorotatory enantiomer 30 was identical with the dimethyl ester 3 of 4′-O-methyl-eucomic acid.