Sesquiterpenoids — XVI: Conformations of cycloheptane and α-methylene-γ-lactone rings in sesquiterpenoids: X-ray determination of the constitution, absolute stereochemistry, and conformation of euparotin bromoacetate

Abstract

The molecular structure of euparotin, a highly oxygenated sesquiterpene of the guaianolide type, has been determined by crystal-structure analysis of euparotin bromoacetate. The bromo-derivative crystallizes from benzene-petrol as a benzene solvate, C 22H 25O 8Br· 1 2 C 6H 6, crystals of which are monoclinic, of space group C2, with a = 34·85, b = 7·04, c = 10·90 Å, β = 106°35′, and Z = 4. The atomic co-ordinates were determined by Fourier and least-squares calculations which employed 1947 photographic | F 0 | values and converged at R = 12·8% with isotropic thermal parameters for the C and O atoms and anisotropic parameters for the Br atom. The absolute configuration was established by the anomalous-dispersion effect. The cycloheptane ring of the sesquiterpenoid has a conformation which is closer to a twist chair ( C 2) than a chair ( C s ) form, and a survey shows that this is also true for other perhydroazulene sesquiterpenoids. In the α-methylene-γ-lactone of euparotin and several other sesquiterpenoids the CCCO torsion angle has the same sign as the C(α)C(β)C(γ)-O torsion angle, establishing the basis for Stöcklin et al's correlation between the position and stereochemistry of lactone fusion and the sign of the Cotton effect of the n → π* transition of the CCCO chromophore.