New amide alkaloids from the roots of Piper nigrum.

Seven new amide alkaloids, named N-isobutyl-4-hexanoyl-4-hydroxypyrrolidin-1-one (1), (+/-)-erythro-1-(1-oxo-4,5-dihydroxy-2E-decaenyl)piperidine (2), (+/-)-threo-1-(1- oxo-4,5-dihydroxy-2E-decaenyl)piperidine (3), (+/-)-threo-N-isobutyl-4,5-dihydroxy-2E-octaenamide (4), 1-(1,6-dioxo-2E,4E-decadienyl)piperidine (5), 1-[1-oxo-3(3,4-methylenedioxy-5-methoxyphenyl)-2Z-propenyl]piperidine (6), and 1-[1-oxo-5(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-2Z,4E-pentadienyl]pyrrolidine (7), were isolated from the roots of Piper nigrum, together with 32 known amides. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and chemical evidence.