(-EPISESAMINONE, A SESAMUM-INDICUM FUROFURAN LIGNAN - ISOLATION AND HEMISYNTHESIS())

Several lignans from Sesamum sp. contain an unusual oxygen insertion b etween their furano and aromatic rings. As part of our ongoing studies to clarify the biosynthetic pathway to the sesame lignans, the furano ketone, (+)-episesaminone, was isolated and fully characterized in par t via hemisynthesis from (+)-sesamolin.