The results of a complete analysis of the proton spectra of altersolanol B acetonide indicate that this compound exists preferentially in the half-chair conformation corresponding to that favored by the parent pigment in the solid state, as shown by previous X-ray studies. In contrast, the triacetate derivative apparently adopts the alternative half-chair conformation.Les rtsultats d'une analyse compltte r.m.n. de l'altersolanol B acttonide indique que ce compost existe prtftrentiellement sous la forme demi-chaise correspondant a celle favoriste par le pigment de base dans I'ttat solide, comme l'ont montr6 de prictdentes etudes rayons-X. En revanche, le dtrivt triacttate adopte apparemment la conformation demi-chaise alternative.Canadian Journal of Chemistry, 50, 122 (1972) In an earlier paper on some metabolites of Alternaria solani (I), structures were proposed for altersolanol B (1, R = R' = H), its triacetate (1, R = R' = Ac) and isopropylidene (2) derivatives. To confirm the assigned structures and to obtain information bearing on the probable conformations of these materials, a complete analysis of the proton spectrum of acetonide 2 was undertaken. In the interim Noda et al. (2) reported the results of their structural study of bostrycin (3), a closely related tetrahydroanthraquinone pigment. These authors found that treatment of hydrogenation products of 3 with p-bromobenzoyl chloride in pyridine yielded a crystalline ester which was subsequently hydrolyzed in these laboratories to give altersolanol B as judged by t.1.c. and U.V. spectra. X-Ray diffraction results for the p-bromobenzoate 1 (R = H, R' = p-BrC,H,CO) were presented by Takenaka et al. (3). As a further check on the correspondence between the two pigments a sample of acetonide 2 was treated with p-bromobenzoic anhydride in tetrahydrofuran containing some y-dimethylaminopyridine to yield an acetonide ester. Upon removal of the isopropylidene group, the resulting p-bromobenzoate was compared to an authentic sample of the degradation product obtained by Noda et al. mixture m.p., i.r. and U.V. spectra and specific rotation. Consequently, the structures originally proposed are undoubtedly correct but the question of preferred conformation remained.In addition to the methyl proton absorptions, the high field region of the proton spectrum of 2 consists of two overlapping AB patterns one of which is part of an ABX system; since the two AB patterns are long-range coupled a better description of the spin system may be ABMNX. To Can. J. Chem. Downloaded from www.nrcresearchpress.com by 34.214.212.150 on 05/11/18For personal use only.