H-1 NMR spectral characteristics of synthetic trans and cia arylcoumar
ans and their acetates which are related to 8-5' neolignans are given.
This information is used to reassign structures to neolignans reporte
d in nine papers, from the cia to the trans 7-aryl-8-hydroxymethyl con
figurations, and to neolignans in six papers in which no assignments w
ere made. Thus far, there is no evidence for the occurrence of 8-5' ne
olignans with a cis configuration in nature. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science
Ltd.