New Oxygen Heterocyclics from Derris scandens and Mundulea suberosa

Department of Chemistry, Osmania University, Hyderabad 500007, A.P.

Chemical investigation of the roots of Derris scand.ms and the bark of Mundulea suberosa revealed the presence of several oxygen heterocyclic~ such as flavonoids, isoflavonoids, 3-aryl-4-hydroxy coumarins, rotenoids and styryl a-pyrones. For the first time 3-aryl-4-hydroxy coumarins were isolated as natural products from D scandens and D. Robusta. The occurrence of 3-aryl-4-hydroxy coumarins along with closely related isoftavones is of biogenetic significance. The hypothetical biogenetic pathway for the formation of the coumarins from isolfavones or its derivatives is discussed.

M. suberosa roots obtained from Coimbatore yielded a new styryl-a·pyrone, whose structure has been assigned on the basis of chemical and spectral evidence. The natural products isolated from these plants are feebly toxic to fish.