Roccellatol, a new β-orcinol based metabolite from the lichen Roccella montagnei

Abstract

Roccellatol, a new (2′R,3′S)-erythrityl-2,6-dihydroxy-4-methylbenzoate was isolated along with nine known compounds from the fruticose lichen, Roccella montagnei Bel. em. D.D. Awasthi. The structure of the new compound was elucidated by detailed spectroscopic analysis (¹H, ¹³C, DEPT and HRMS). The present isolation of roccellatol (10) assumes significance as the esters of p-orcellinic acid are rare in lichens. Interestingly, among the known compounds, (+)-montagnetol (9) was now isolated in very large quantity (4.66%).

Keywords:

• Roccella montagnei
• fruticose lichen
• Roccellatol
• (+)-Montagnetol
• orcellinic acid esters

Acknowledgements

We are thankful to the Directors of CSIR-IMMT, Bhubaneswar and CSIR-IICT, Hyderabad for their keen interest and encouragement. One of us (AVS) is thankful to CSIR, Govt of India for the award of Senior Research Fellowship.