A Novel Sesquiterpene Peroxide from Alpinia japonica (Thunb.) Miq

Abstract

A novel sesquiterpene peroxide, hanalpinol (la), has been isolated from the rhizomes of Alpinia japonica. Oxidation of la with pyridinium chlorochromate gave a crystalline, α,β-unsaturated ketone (2), whose structure was established by means of X-ray analysis. The IR spectrum of la revealed the presence of intramolecular hydrogen bonding, and acid treatment of la resulted in the formation of furopelargone B (4), which was present naturally in the same plant. This conversion reaction suggests that 4 is biosynthesized from la or its analog. Furopelargone A (3) was also isolated. © 1985, The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan. All rights reserved.