Biomimetic Synthesis of Drimenin; Approaches to the Synthesis of Warburganal

Abstract

A new compound was isolated and structurally characterized in 1967 by a group from Columbia University as part of their search for compounds displaying antifeedant activities. Deriving its name from the East African genus Warburgia, warburganal was isolated from W. ugandaensis whose park is widely used in African folk medicine and cooking. Together with W. stuhlmanii, the two species have given rise to a number of compounds displaying interesting, selective, antifeedant activity. These include warburganal, uganensidial, polygodial, and muzigadial.