Stereoisomeric Composition of Natural Myrtucommulone A

J Nat Prod. 2015 Oct 23;78(10):2381-9. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.5b00358. Epub 2015 Oct 12.

Abstract

Myrtucommulone A (MC A) (1), isolated from Myrtus communis (myrtle), shows the same pharmacological activity for inhibition of inflammation and induction of apoptosis as synthetic MC A, which consists of three stereoisomers, i.e., two enantiomers and one meso form. This led to the question of whether the natural MC A is a pure stereoisomer or a mixture of stereoisomers. The specific rotation and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) data of natural MC A (1) as well as of a pentacyclic derivative 4 revealed that naturally occurring MC A (1) consists of the racemate and the meso form in a 1:1 ratio. A probable precursor of MC A (1), nor-semimyrtucommulone (5), was also isolated from myrtle as a racemate. The absolute configurations of the enantiomers of 1 and 5 were determined using a combination of experimental and quantum-chemical calculated ECD spectra.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Circular Dichroism
  • Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Germany
  • Molecular Structure
  • Myrtus / chemistry*
  • Phloroglucinol / analogs & derivatives*
  • Phloroglucinol / chemistry
  • Phloroglucinol / isolation & purification
  • Phloroglucinol / pharmacology
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry
  • Stereoisomerism

Substances

  • myrtucommulone A
  • semimyrtucommulone
  • Phloroglucinol