DISTRIBUTION OF TERPENOIDS AND AROMATIC COMPOUNDS IN THE LIVERWORT ISOTACHIS SPECIES

Abstract

  Two New Zealand liverworts, Isotachis lyallii Mitt. and I. montana Col. have been chemically investigated. The former species produces a tetracyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon, anastreptene, two aromatic esters, benzyl benzoate and β-phenethyl trans-cinnamate as the major components. The latter species contains a newly recognized aromatic ester, β-phenethyl 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoate, and two sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, bicyclogermacrene and anastreptene as the major components. Two unidentified Peruvian Isotachis species have been also analyzed by GC-MS. Both species produce not only benzoates and cinnamates, but also trans-β-methylthioacrylates which have been isolated from Japanese Isotachis japonica Mitt. The chemosystematics of Isotachis species is discussed.