Topic 13.2
Structure of Various Triterpenes
Digitoxigenin is the aglycone (sugarless) triterpene portion of the naturally occurring digitanides, which contain one molecule of the rare sugar D-digitoxose and one molecule of acetyldigitoxose. The yam Dioscorea contains saponins—e.g., yamogenin (Web Figure 13.2.A)—that are widely used as starting materials in the synthesis of progesterone-like compounds for birth control pills.
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Web Figure 13.2.A
Structure of various triterpenes.
(Click image to enlarge.)
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