2503. Coniferin

Nomenclature

CAS number: 531-29-3
4-(3-Hydroxy-1-propenyl)-2-methoxyphenyl β-d-glucopyranoside; 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-1-(γ-hydroxypropenyl)benzene-4-d-glucoside; abietin; laricin.
C16H22O8; mol wt 342.34.
C 56.13%, H 6.48%, O 37.39%.

Description and references

Principal glucoside of the conifers. Also in comfrey root, sugar beet, and asparagus. Extraction from the cambium layer of fir: Solntsev, C.A. 38, 3780 (1944). Synthesis: Pauley, Feuerstein, Ber. 60, 1031 (1927). Hydrolysis by emulsin yields coniferyl alcohol and d-glucose. Yields lignin-like material by enzymatic dehydrogenation and polymerization: Freudenberg et al., Ber. 85, 641 (1952); Freudenberg, Rasenack, Ber. 86, 756 (1953).

Chemical structure

Derivative

Dihydrate.

Properties

Crystals from water. Anhydr after 4 hrs at 100°. Anhydr coniferin, mp 186°. [α]D20 -68° (c = 0.5). Absorption spectrum: Patterson, Hibbert, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 65, 1862 (1943). One gram dissolves in 200 ml water, freely sol in boiling water; sol in pyridine; sparingly sol in alc. Practically insol in ether.