Structure and dynamics of free and metallated benzonaphthopyranones and -pyrans

First calculations of the structures of metal-free and complexed biaryl lactones and their confrrmation by X-ray crystaIlography, the search for the transition states of their heIimerization processes, and the spectroscopic determination of the heIimerization barriers of related cyclic ethers by DNMR are reported

+/- Dioncophyllacine A, a naphthylisoquinoline alkaloid with a 4-methoxy substituent from the leaves of Triphyophyllum peltatum

The isolation and structure elucidation of rac-dioncophyllacine A from the leaves of Triphyophyllun peltatum, is described. Unlike all other naphthylisoquinoline alkaloids, this fully dehydrogenated representative has an additional methoxy group at C-4, the position of which is deduced from NOE results. Dioncophyllacine A has a 7,1' site of the biaryl axis, as in dioncophylline A. Its constitution is confirmed by an X-ray structure analysis, which shows that the crystalline form of this new alkaloid is racemic