Phytochemical investigations of Neolitsea dealbata and Nectandra membranacea

Phytochemical investigation of Neolitsea dealbata from the Paluma rainforest, Australia, has afforded two triterpenoids, taraxerone and taraxerol, and three sesquiterpenoids, linderadine, linderalactone, and pseudoneolinderane. Molecular mechanic calculations have been carried out to locate the lowest energy conformations of these three furanogermacranolide sesquiterpenes. These three furanogermacranolide type sesquiterpenes are isolated from this plant for the first time. Phytochemical investigation of Nectandra membranacea from Monteverde, Costa Rica, has yielded three eudesmane sesquiterpenes, ilicic acid, costic acid, and 3-isocostic acid. These three sesquiterpenes are isolated from the Lauraceae family for the first time. All the structures have been established using NMR spectroscopic techniques, X-ray diffraction techniques, and/or MS spectra. The chemical components of the Nectandra membranacea leaf essential oil have been identified by GC-MS techniques. The leaf essential oil of N. membranacea is dominated by terpenoid hydrocarbons.