Highly hydroxylated guaianolides of Achillea asiatica and Middle European Achillea species

From flower heads of Achillea asiatica (L.) Serg., three new guaianolides were isolated by repeated column chromatography and HPLC. The constitution and the stercochemistry of these new, labile compounds were determined by MS, one (H-1, C-13, selective H-1-TOCSY and H-1-NOESY) and two-dimensional NMR experiments (H-1, H-1-COSY, H-1, C-13-HSQC, H-1, C-13-HMBC). The substances were identified as 8 alpha -angeloxy-2 alpha, 4 alpha ,10 beta -trihydroxy-6 betaH,7 alphaH, 11 betaH-1-(5)-guaien-12,6 alpha -olide (1), 8 alpha -angeloxy-1 beta ,2 beta :4 beta ,5 beta -diepoxy-10 beta -hydroxy-6 betaH, 7 alphaH, 11 betaH, 12,6 alpha -guaianolide (2) and 8 alpha -angeloxy-4 alpha ,10 beta -dihydroxy-2-oxo-6 betaH,7 alphaH, 11 betaH-1(5)-guaien-12,6 alpha -olide (3). They were also detected in Middle European species (Achillea collina, Achillea ceretanica (2x and 4x), Achillea roseoalba, Achillea asplenifolia) by HPLC, TLC and off line MS and have not been described before. The possibility that these compounds might be products of an oxidation process is discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.