Polyphenols from pericopsis elata and synthesis of selected stilbenes

English: The bark of Pericopsis elata (Afrormosia elata) is used by the local population of the Democratic Republic of Congo for the treatment of cancer and for external applications because of its weather resistance. Previous phytochemical studies on Pericopsis elata resulted in the isolation of flavonoids, isoflavonoids, chalcones and stilbene monomers. Among these, stilbenes are known to have biological activities such as antioxidants, antifungal, and act as microbial inhibitors. They posses COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitory effects, affect lipid peroxidation, LDL oxidation, and function as phytoalexins among other activities. Prompted by these claims, we conducted an in depth investigation of the heartwood of P. elata by extraction, isolation and structural elucidation of the metabolites. The enrichment and fractionation of monomeric and dimeric constituents were accomplished mainly by Craig countercurrent distribution techniques and Sephadex LH-20 gel chromatography. Pure compounds were obtained by derivatization and preparative thin layer chromatography. Structural elucidation of the phenolics is based mainly on NMR spectroscopic methods (1H NMR, 13C NMR, COSY, NOESY, HMBC and HMQC), Mass spectrometry and synthetic methods.The monomeric compounds isolated during this study comprise the flavanones (naringenin and eriodictyol), the isoflavones (genistein and biochanin A), a dihydrochalcone [(R)-α,4,2',4'-tetraacetoxydihydrochalcone] and a single α- methyldeoxybenzoin (angolensin). Among the stilbene monomers encountered are resveratrol, isorhapontigenin and large amounts of piceatannol. Structures of the dimeric stilbnes isolated apparently originate from different combinations of piceatannol (3,4,3',5'-tetrahydroxystilbene) (the major constituent ~ 16% of the phenolic content of P. elata) and 3,4,3',4'-tetrahydroxystilbene. To the best of our knowledge rel-2,3-trans-2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-6-[2-(3,5- dimethoxyphenyl)-E-1-ethenyl]benzodioxane, rel-2,3-trans-2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-3- (3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-4-[2-(3,4- dimethoxyphenyl) )-E-1-ethenyl]-6-methoxy-2,3- dihydrobenzofuran, rel-2,3-trans-2-(3,4-diacetoxyphenyl)-3-(3,5-diacetoxyphenyl)-4-[2- (3,4-diacetoxyphenyl) )-E-1-ethenyl]-6-acetoxy-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran, rel-2,3-trans-2- (3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-4-[2-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl) )-Z-1- ethenyl]-6-methoxy-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran, rel-2,3-trans-4-Formyl-2-(3,4- dimethoxyphenyl)-3-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)- 6-methoxy-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran and rel- 2,3-trans-2-(3,5-diacetoxyphenyl)-3-(3,5-diacetoxyphenyl)-6-[2-(3,5-diacetoxyphenyl) )- E-1-ethenyl]-4-acetoxy-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran are novel compounds. Structural confirmation of the six novel dimeric stilbenes in particular required definition of structure via synthetic methods. A synthetic approach was thus developed. This protocol comprises the synthesis of piceatannol via the Wittig reaction followed by oxidative coupling of two piceatannols to afford novel dimeric stilbenes. 1H NMR of the methoxy-derivative of synthetic compounds is identical to that of the derivative of two dimeric stilbenes isolated from P. elata.