The isolation of indole-3-acetyl-2-O-myo-inositol from Zea mays.

The isolation and crystallization of an ester of myo-inositol and indole-3-acetic acid is described. The ester was extracted from mature corn (maize) kernels. On the basis of data for solubility in acetone, acetone-water mixtures and water, chromatographic data, and data on acyl migration the ester, as isolated, is tentatively identified as indole-3-acetyl-2-O-myo-inositol. The compound promoted growth in a flax callus culture and in the standard Avena coleoptile straight-growth test, the biological activity in the former tissue being relatively greater than in the latter.