ALKALOIDS, FLAVONOLS AND COUMARINS FROM DRUMMONDITA-HASSELLII AND D-CALIDA

The aerial parts of both Drummondita hassellii and D. calida have yielded a number of simple furoquinoline alkaloids and polymethoxylated flavonols. Of the latter 3,5,6,7,8,4'-hexamethoxyflavonol (aurantin-5-methyl ether) and 3,5,7,8,4'-pentamethoxyflavonol (flindulatin-5-methyl ether), both isolated from D. calida, appear to be novel. In addition both species produced dihydrocinnamic acid derivatives, including the previously unrecorded trans-avicennic acid [6-(3-methylbut-1-(E)-3-dienyl)-5,7-dimethoxy-2,2-dimethylbenzopyran-8-propanoic acid]. Finally, three novel coumarins were isolated from D. hassellii and identified as 6,7-di(3,3-dimethylallyloxy)-5-methoxycoumarin, 6,7-(3,3-dimethylallyloxy)-5-hydroxycoumarin and 7-(3,3-dimethylallyloxy)-6-hydroxy-5-methoxycoumarin. No coumarins were detected in D. calida. The systematic value of these findings is briefly discussed.