THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE WOOD EXTRACTIVES OF SORBUS DECORA (SARG.) SCHNEID.

The wood of the showy mountain ash was found to contain about 3% acetone-soluble material. The major constituents of the extract were a polymorphous xyloside of (+)-di-methoxyisolariciresinol, the recently discovered hydroxy diphenyls aucuparin and methoxyaucuparin, and fatty acid esters of β-sitosterol, another phytosterol, and of untractable phenolic material. Small amounts of free β-sitosterol and a mixture of hydrocarbons as well as traces of an unknown leucoanthocyanidin were also isolated. The xyloside predominated in the sapwood, whereas the aucuparins were found mainly in the heartwood. Gas–liquid chromatography was instrumental in the detection and separation of the aucuparins.