Isoflavone,wax and triterpene constituents of Wyethia mollis

The hexane extract of Wyethia mollis contains the n-alkanes C₁₅-C₁₈, C₂₀-C₂₅, C₂₇ and C₂₉. Linoleic acid was the only detectable acidic component. A mass spectral analysis of the wax ester fraction indicated that it was a mixture of homologues, the saturated even-carbon acids n-C₁₆-C₃₀ esterfield with the saturated even-carbon alcohols n-C₁₈-C₂₆. The chloroform extract yielded the known isoflavones santal and 3′-O-methylorobol along with a new lanostane-type triterpene, 22,25-epoxy-lanosta-7:9(11)-dien-3-one. The wide distribution of n-alkanes and the decreased odd-even carbon ratio are consistent with the proposed primitive nature of this plant.