Miscellaneous Diaryl and Polyaromatic Compounds

There are several other wood constituents that should be discussed within the frame of this section. They are not frequently found and will therefore only be briefly discussed. Some of the compounds are representatives of important classes of plant products - e.g. xanthones and the related chromane type of compounds, naphthoquinones, and anthraquinones. 

Chromones and related compounds are also found in wood. A comprehensive review of this class of compounds (chromanols, chromanones, and chromones) has recently been published (102). 

Other interesting phenolic wood constituents of napthoquinone type are the prenylated derivatives (42) in the durable wood of Catalpa ovata (Bignoniaceae) (64). Sesquiterpenes of naphthalene type (cadalene type e.g. 43), which occur in 

Ulmus species (Ulmaceae) (99, 100) may also be mentioned in this context. Some of these naphthalene derivatives cause staining of painted surfaces on the wood of slippery elm Ulmus rubra) (99). Related pigments of wood is mansonones -e.g. mansonone F (44) - that have been isolated from Mansonia altissima Chev. (Sterculiaceae) (81). The wood of this species is used for furnitures. Several allergic symptoms and heart troubles have been reported for workers handling this wood (81). 

Flavonoids of wood are covered separately in Sect. 7.5. Neoflavanoids as well as other rearranged or condensed flavanoids and related compounds are also significant constituents of some wood species. They will only briefly be discussed in this section. They contribute to the properties of wood and can serve as taxonomic markers. Representative neoflavanoids are dalbergin (47) and related compounds of Dalbergia and Machaerium spp. (Leguminosae) (27, 28, 87). 

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Stilbenes, Conioids, and Other Polyaryl Natural Products 7.4.6 Miscellaneous Diaryl and Polyaromatic Compounds... 

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