Chemical Investigation of Saturated Aliphatic Ester from the Tuber of Dioscorea Bulbifera

Dioscorea bulbifera (family- Discoreaceae) is found commonly in India. Recent Pharmacological finding
indicate that its tubers possess significant activities, rejuvenating and tonic.
Phytochemical investigations of tubers of this plant give saturated aliphastic ester along with other
constituent. White compound m.p. 690C on the basis of mass fragmentaction patter molecular weight
C53H106O2. The compound did not undergo acetylation mor showed any bind in the region above 3200cm-1
in IR.
The compoupl did not undergo acetylation nor showed any band in the region above 3200 cm-1
in IR
spectrum showing the absence of hydroxyl function. Appearance of absorption bands at 1462, 732 and 720
cm-1
and the absence of bands in the aromatic region in its IR spectrum, suggested its aliphatic nature. The
non reactivity with 2,4 dinitrophenyl hydrazine shows the absence of a carbonyl function. The compound
appeared to be an ester as indicated by absorption band at 1732 cm-1
. The presence of peaks at 2918 cm-1
and 2848 cm-1 is diagnostic of the streaching vibration of methylene group.