New Tetrahydrofuranoid Steroidal Alkaloids from the Leaves of Buxus hildebrandtii

Four new tetrahydrofuranoid steroidal alkaloids, ( + )-06-buxafuranamine (I), ( + )-2dehydroxy-02-buxafuranamine (2), (-)-0"-buxafuranamine (3) and (-)-6-dehydroxy-0"-buxafuranamine ( 4) have been isolated from the leaves of Bhildebrondtii.These are the members of a new series of Buxui steroidal bases containing a tetrahydrofuran ring incorporated in their structures.The structures were established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic studies.Three new classes along with several more examples of the previously mentioned structural classes have been included in the rules wbich relates the structural features with the specific rotations.The genus Buncr comprises evergreen shrubs wbich are spread out from Eurasia to South Africa, Malaysia, Indonesia and North and Central America.The genus Bums is well known for the treatment of a wide variety of diseases in folk medicines?We have reported over fifty new steroidal alkaloids from B.papillosa, B. sempemirem and B. hildebrandtii.24 In this paper we report the isolation and structure elucidation of 6 2 0 -buxafuranamine (I), 2-dehydroxy-0 -buxafuranamine (Z), 0"-buxafuranamine (3) and 6-dehydroxy-~10-buxafuranamine (4) all containing a tetrahydrofuran ring incorporated in their structures.Their structures were assigned on the basis of spectroscopic studies. 6( + ) -0 -Buxafuranamine (I), C35H48N205 was obtained as a white amorphous solid from the ethanolic extract of B. hildebrondtii leaves (experimental).The uv spectrum showed absorption maxima at 228 nm