Studies on the Chemical Constituents of the Plants of Coniferae and Allied Orders. XLI

Decomposition of hinokiflavone pentamethyl ether, C30H13O5(OCH3)5, with methanolic barium hydroxide solution is not a complicated reaction, unlike the case of ethanolic potassium hydroxide, and three substances, anisic acid, Substance Y (C17H16O7), and 2-hydroxy-4, 6-dimethoxyacetophenone, are obtained in good yield. Such a fact proves that the structure of hinokiflavone proposed in the preceding report is reliable. A mild decomposition of hinokiflavone with ethanolic potassium hydroxide afforded a β-diketone corresponding to ketoflavone and its cycllzation gave a carboxy-flavone.