Quassin

Quassin is a white, bitter, crystalline substance that is the prototypical example of the family of quassinoids. It can be extracted from the quassia tree, from which it gets its name. It was first isolated in 1937,^[1] and its chemical structure was elucidated in 1961.^[2]

Quassin

Names
IUPAC name 2,12-Dimethoxypicrasa-2,12-diene-1,11,16-trione
Systematic IUPAC name (3aR,3a1S,6aR,7aS,8S,11aS,11bS)-2,10-Dimethoxy-3,3a1,8,11a-tetramethyl-3a,3a1,6a,7,7a,8,11a,11b-octahydrophenanthro[10,1-bc]pyran-1,5,11(4H)-trione
Identifiers
CAS Number	76-78-8 Y
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
ChEMBL	ChEMBL517016 Y
ChemSpider	59014 Y
ECHA InfoCard	100.000.897
EC Number	200-985-9
PubChem CID	65571
UNII	QP1YAK6QGK Y
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID30878613
InChI InChI=1S/C22H28O6/c1-10-7-14(26-5)20(25)22(4)12(10)8-15-21(3)13(9-16(23)28-15)11(2)18(27-6)17(24)19(21)22/h7,10,12-13,15,19H,8-9H2,1-6H3/t10-,12+,13+,15-,19+,21-,22+/m1/s1 Y=  Y Key: IOSXSVZRTUWBHC-LBTVDEKVSA-N Y=  Y Key: IOSXSVZRTUWBHC-LBTVDEKVBB InChI=1/C22H28O6/c1-10-7-14(26-5)20(25)22(4)12(10)8-15-21(3)13(9-16(23)28-15)11(2)18(27-6)17(24)19(21)22/h7,10,12-13,15,19H,8-9H2,1-6H3/t10-,12+,13+,15-,19+,21-,22+/m1/s1 Key: IOSXSVZRTUWBHC-LBTVDEKVBB
SMILES O=C1C(\OC)=C/[C@@H](C)[C@H]4[C@]1([C@H]3C(=O)C(\OC)=C(/[C@@H]2CC(=O)O[C@@H]([C@@]23C)C4)C)C
Properties
Chemical formula	C22H28O6
Molar mass	388.460 g·mol−1
Appearance	White crystalline substance
Melting point	200 to 222 °C (392 to 432 °F; 473 to 495 K)
Boiling point	586 °C (1,087 °F; 859 K)
Solubility in water	Insoluble
Vapor pressure	13 mmHg (@25 °C)
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). N verify (what is YN ?) Infobox references

It is one of the most bitter substances found in nature, with a bitter threshold of 0.08 ppm and it is 50 times more bitter than quinine.^[3]

Extracts of the bitterwood tree (Quassia amara) containing quassin are used as additives in soft drinks.^[3]

Although its skeleton possesses 20 carbon atoms, quassin is not a diterpene but rather a triterpene lactone, which derives from euphol by loss of 10 carbon atoms including C4.

References

1. E.P. Clark, J. Amer. Chem. Soc. (1937)
2. Valenta, Z.; Papadopoulos, S.; Podešva, C. (1961). "Quassin and Neoquassin". Tetrahedron. 15 (1–4): 100–110. doi:10.1016/0040-4020(61)80013-6.
3. Scientific Committee on Food Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Food on quassin (expressed on 2 July 2002). Archived 19 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine SCF/CS/FLAV/FLAVOUR/29 Final