Nomenclature
CAS number: 60450-21-7
1,5-Dihydroxy-2-methyl-6-[(6-
O-β-
d-xylopyranosyl-β-
d-glucopyranosyl)oxy]-9,10-anthracenedione; 2-[[6-
O-(6-deoxy-α-
l-mannopyranosyl)-β-
d-glucopyranosyl]oxy]-1,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-9,10-anthracenedione.
C
27H
30O
14; mol wt 578.52.
C 56.05%, H 5.23%, O 38.72%.
Description and references
From bark of Coprosma australis Forst.
(C. grandifolia Hook.), Rubiaceae: Briggs,
Dacre, J. Chem. Soc. 1948, 564. Structure: Briggs, Le Quesne, ibid. 1963, 3471. On acid hydrolysis yields the aglucone morindone. Synthesis and structure proof: B. Vermes et al., Phytochemistry 19, 119 (1980).
Properties
Yellow needles from glacial acetic acid, mp 169-171°. [α]D20 -90.0° (c = 0.054 in dioxane). Absorption
max (ethanol): 230, 261, 448 nm (log ε 4.15, 3.93, 3.57). Sol in cold
water but on boiling forms a water insol form, β-morindin. Sol in dioxane, pyridine, acetone, methanol; slightly
sol in ethanol, glacial acetic acid. Practically insol in ether,
chloroform, benzene, petr ether.