CHALCONE AND DIHYDROCHALCONE DERIVATIVES FROM THE ORCHID LUSIA-VOLUCRIS

A new dihydrochalcone derivative, lusianin, two other known chalcones and a phenanthrene derivative were isolated from the orchid Lusia volucris. The two chalcones and the phenanthrene derivative were characterized as 2-propene-1-one-1-(2',4'-dihydroxy-3'-methoxyphenyl)-3-(4 ''-methoxyphenyl) and 2-propene-1-one-1-(2'-hydroxy-4'-methoxyphenyl)-3-(4 ''-methoxyphenyl) and 6-hydroxy-2,4,7-trimethoxyphenanthrene (batatasin-I), respectively, by independent spectral analysis of the compounds and their acetyl derivatives. The structure of lusianin was established as 1-propanone-1-(2',4'-dihydroxy-3'-methoxyphenyl)-(4 ''-methoxyphenyl) from spectral and chemical evidence.