Erythrocentaurin, Biosynthesis Postulation and Biomimetic Synthesis

Erythrocentaurin is a relatively simple nature product isolated from the root of Gentiana macrophylla Pall.[1] The co-existed of gentiopicroside from the same species led to speculation that erythrocentaurin is a biosynthesis product of gentiopicroside. The transformation of secologanin to carbocyclic aglycone under biomimetic condition has already known (Scheme 1).[2,3] The postulated biosynthesis pathway of erythrocentaurin may be in the same way. In the process the cyclic hemiacetal of the aglycone opened to the dialdehyde which then undergoes a vinylogous aldol reaction, and then dehydroxylation and double bond migration to the title compound (Scheme 2).……