(15E)-12β-Hydroxy-18-norsenecionan-11,16-dione

Description

A hepatotoxic alkaloid, this base has so far been obtained only from the seeds of Crotalaria mucronata Desv. indigenous to Nilgiris in Southern India. The same species grown in other regions is found to contain Usaramine (q.v.). The alkaloid has [α]²⁰_D + 31.5° (EtOH) and the structure has been elucidated on the basis of the alkaline hydrolysis products and the NMR and mass spectra.

References

Atal et aI., Tetrahedron Lett., 5606 (1968)