#cyclobutane
Australian shrub contains new class of organic compound
The botanical world can be an exciting place for chemists. Plant species produce a beautiful array of organic molecules with complex structures, often of great practical use. Indeed, this is a realm where new discoveries are still being made. Recently, a Japanese-led research team discovered an entirely new structural class in compounds from a jungle-dwelling shrub.
The glossy or red-fruited laurel (binomial name: Cryptocarya laevigata) inhabits the rainforests of eastern Australia. Little was known about the chemical makeup of this tall shrub until the team, led by Kanazawa University, analyzed an extract of its twigs and leaves. The plant’s essential oil was found to contain a family of six new compounds, the structural analysis of which revealed some surprises.
As reported in Organic Letters, NMR experiments showed that at the center of the compounds lay a peculiar, nine-membered carbon cycle known as a spiro-nonene. This structure consists of two rings of carbon atoms—one containing six atoms, the other four—linked by a single “pinch point” atom that is a part of both rings. This motif had never been seen before in any natural product.
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