Seven Novel seco-Prezizaane-Type Sesquiterpenes from the Pericarps of Illicium merrillianum

Abstract

Seven new seco-prezizaane-type sesquiterpenes were isolated from the methanol extract of the pericarps of Illicium merrillianum. Their structures were elucidated as 3-deoxypseudoanisatin (1), 2β-hydroxy-3,6-dedioxypseudoanisatin (2), 8α-hydroxy-10-deoxycyclomerrillianolide (3), 10β-hydroxypseudoanisatin (4), 10β-hydroxycyclopseudoanisatin (5), 1,6-dihydroxy-3-deoxyminwanensin (6), and 8-deoxymerrilliortholactone (7) by analyses of their spectroscopic data and chemical transformation. Compounds 4 and 5 as well as 6 and 7 coexist as a keto/acetal equilibrated mixture in methanol solution.