Abstract
THE tetracyclic triterpene alcohol basseol, which readily cyclizes to give β-amyrenol1, which in its turn is related to erythrodiol, gypsogenin and hederagenin2, on dehydrogenation with selenium gives as major product a phenanthrene homologue, m.p. 125° (Found: C, 92.7 ; H, 7.2. C17H16 requires C, 92.7 ; H, 7.3; C18H18 requires C, 92.25 ; H, 7.75 per cent), characterized as its picrate, m.p. 165° (Found: C, 61.7 ; 61.8 ; H, 4.2, 4.3 ; N, 9.3. C23H19O7N3 requires C, 61.45 ; H, 4.3 ; N, 9.35 ; C24H21O7N3 requires C, 62.2 ; H, 4.6 ; N, 9.1 per cent). It is apparently identical with the hydrocarbon "C18H18" obtained by Ruzicka, Hösli and Ehmann3from hederagenin. Our analyses favour a trimethyl-rather than a tetramethyl-phenanthrene formulation, but the latter cannot be excluded. The hydrocarbon gives a marked depression in melting point on admixture with 1: 6: 7-trimethylphenanthrene, and it is not identical with 1: 2: 8- or any other known trimethylphenanthrene. The formation of a tri- or (tetra-) methylphenanthrene shows that basseol has one of the partial struct vires I and II. The structure (III) suggested for basseol by Ruzicka and Sehellenberg2 cannot be correct, as this would require the formation of 1: 6-dimethylphenanthrene on dehydrogenation.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Beynon, Heilbron and Spring, J. Chem. Soc., 989 (1937).
Ruzicka and Schellenberg, Helv. chim. Acta, 20, 1553 (1937).
Ruzicka, Hösli, and Ehmann, Helv. chim. Acta, 17, 442 (1934).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
BEYNON, J., HEILBRON, I. & SPRING, F. Structure of the Triterpenes. Nature 142, 434–435 (1938). https://doi.org/10.1038/142434b0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/142434b0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.