Volatiles from the ascomycete (Hypoxylaceae), originating from China.

The volatiles from an isolate of the fungus , obtained from a specimen collected in China, were collected by use of a closed-loop stripping apparatus and analysed by GC-MS. A total number of 33 compounds from different classes were rigorously identified by comparison of mass spectra to library spectra and of retention indices to tabulated data from the literature. For unknown compounds structural suggestions were delineated from the mass spectra and verified by chemical synthesis of reference materials. Through this approach two 2-alkylated furan derivatives were identified, demonstrating that the genus continues to be an interesting source for the discovery of novel secondary metabolites. Feeding experiments with sodium (1,2-C)acetate were performed to investigate the biosynthesis of the polyketide 5-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-chromanone that are in favour of a non-enzymatic cyclisation step.