| Abstract: | In accordance with the results of Weiss & ZIFFER , the ORD spectra of cardenolides with few exceptions show a distinct Cotton effect, caused by the butenolide ring. The two extrema lie at about 260 and 228 nm; the extremum at shorter wave length is very difficult to measure, and that at longer wavelength shows fine structure in dioxane. 14α,17β-cardenolides having either a hydrogen atom or a hydroxyl group at C-14 and no double bond in rings C and D show a negative Cotton effect, whereas compounds of the other three stereoisomeric types (14α,17α; 14β,17α and 14β,17β) show a positive Cotton effect. In the case of cardenolides having an oxo group, the extremum of the oxo group at shorter wavelength overlaps that of the butenolide ring at longer wavelength. In spite of this the latter extremum could still be seen distinctly in all cases investigated to date. |
