STUDIES OF HYDRANGENOL IN HYDRANGEA MACROPHYLLA SER.: I. ISOLATION, IDENTIFICATION, AND BIOSYNTHESIS FROM C14-LABELLED COMPOUNDS

Abstract

Hydrangenol glucoside was isolated and identified from the flowers of Hydrangea macrophylla Ser. The free isoconmarin, hydrangenol, was isolated and identified from acid hydrolyzates of flower, leaf, and root extracts of the same species. Roots contained the largest amounts.Cinnamic acid-2-C¹⁴ and phenylalanine-U-C¹⁴ were relatively good precursors of hydrangenol-C¹⁴, whereas tyrosine-U-C¹⁴ was not. Similarly, hydrangenol-C¹⁴ was readily synthesized by roots from acetate-1-C¹⁴ and acetate-2-C¹⁴. This preliminary study suggests that both acetate and phenylpropanoid compounds may be involved in hydrangenol synthesis.