
%0 Journal Article
%A Cooke, RG 
%A Segal, W 
%T Colourning matters of Australian plants. IV. Haemocorin: A unique glycoside from <I>Haemodorum corymbosum</I> Vahl
%J Australian Journal of Chemistry
%D 1955/03/01
%V 8
%N 1
%P 107-113
%K 
%R https://doi.org/10.1071/CH9550107
%U https://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/CH9550107 
%X The bulbous roots of Haemodorum corymbosum Vahl. yield a red crystalline glycoside, haemocorin, which is readily hydrolysed to cellobiose and the purple-red aglycone, C20H14O4. The latter contains one methoxyl group and gives a diacetate and isomeric mono- and dimethyl ethers. The absorption spectra and other properties of these compounds suggest a polycyclic tautomeric enolone structure. Oxidation of a dimethyl ether gives a compound C22H18O7, believed to be a lactol ester, and a compound C20H14O5, which is apparently a polycyclic aromatic anhydride. These results indicate that the aglycone is a polycyclic enolic &#945;-diketone, possibly of the indandione type. 
