An Investigation of Damascenine Biosynthesis

Abstract

Aspartic acid-4-C14 and succinic acid-1, 4-C14 were administered to Nigella damascena L. plants. Damascenine was isolated from the ripe seeds obtained from the tracer-fed plants, but was non-radioactive. On the assumption that damascenine synthesis was taking place at the time of feeding, aspartic and succinic acids do not serve as precursors of damascenine. Several steps in a degradation sequence, designed to isolate individual carbon atoms of damascenine, have been successfully completed and the alkaloid has been synthesized by an improved procedure.