Phenanthrene 3:4-dimethoxy-8-vinyl

B. HCl, m.p. 242-3°). The methiodide, m.p. 104-7°, of this, on treatment with potassium hydroxide in methyl aleohol, yielded 5 6-pimethoxy-8-vinylphenanthrene, m.p. 86-7°, along with dimethyl-de-iV-methylnorroemerine, oil, [aju + 13-55° (EtOH) the methiodide, m.p. 278°, of this, on like treatment also yielded 5 6-dimethoxy-8-vinyl-phenanthrene, whose identity was established by its oxidation by permanganate to 5 6-dimethoxyphenanthrene-8-earboxylie aeid. Rcemerine is, therefore, 5 6-methylenedioxy-iV-methylaporphine, and this eon-stitution has been confirmed by Marion and Grassie s synthesis of the alkaloid. 

Three novel phenanthrenes have been isolated from the wetland plant Juncus acutus. The structures of the novel phenanthrenes were established as 2-hydroxy-l,6-dimethyl-5-vinyl-phenanthrene (320), 2,7-dimethoxy-l,6-dimethyl-5-vinylphenanthrene (321) and 2-hydroxy-6-hydroxymethyl-l-methyl-5-vinyl-phenanthrene (322) [164, 165]. In spite of the great number of 9,10-dihydrophenanthrenes, only quite a small number of phenanthrenes have been reported until now as constituents of Juncaceae. 

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