Isolation and Chemical Characterization of a New Constituent of Cape Aloe Having the 1,1-Diphenylethane Skeleton

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jf00045a032

The structure of a new constituent of Cape aloe was determined by spectral analysis and confirmed by total synthesis. This 1,1-diphenylethane derivative (6), which occurs in the drug in racemic form, was also obtained by thermal reaction of p-coumaric acid with orsellinic acid (or orcinol). These facts are consistent with a nonenzymatic origin of 6, which can be regarded as the first process product isolated from aloe. Keywords: Cape aloe; secondary metabolites; polyketides; 1,1-diphenylethane derivatives; process product; thermal decarboxylation; p-coumaric acid