Chemical investigation of Indian lichens

Summary

The constitution of montagnetol has been established as the erythrityl ester of orsellinic acid for the following reasons: (1) it gives the homofluorescein reaction slowly, (2) 5-hydroxy-4: 7-dimethyl coumarin could be obtained as a product of its condensation with ethylacetoacetate under the conditions of Pechmann’s reaction, (3) decomposition with hot dilute sulphuric acid or with hot baryta produces orcinol and erythritol, (4) concentrated sulphuric acid at 0° gives orsellinic acid and erythritol, (5) hot methyl alcoholic potash coverts it into methyl orsellinate and erythritol, and (6) by the action of diazomethane followed by methyl acloholic potash dimethyl ether of methyl orsellinate is obtained.