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Synthesis of the Toxic Principle of Dichapetalum toxicarium (18-Fluoro-cis-9-Octadecenoic Acid)

Nature volume 192, pages 1284–1285 (1961)Cite this article

Abstract

Dichapetalum toxicarium (Chailletia toxicaria, Don). a shrub occurring in Sierra Leone, produces a hard and woody fruit which is extremely toxic to warm-blooded animals. The pharmacological, medical, and historical aspects of this plant have recently been reviewed1. Peters and colleagues have concluded2, on the basis of nuclear magnetic resonance, infra-red spectroscopy and ozonolysis, that the toxic principle is 18-fluoro-cis-9-octadecenoic acid (ω-fluoro-oleic acid), F(CH2)8CH=CH(CH2)7COOH. It was in order to confirm this conclusion that the following synthesis of ω-fluoro-oleic acid was undertaken:

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References

  1. Pattison, F. L. M., Toxic Aliphatic Fluorine Compounds, 83 (Elsevier Pub. Co., Amsterdam, 1959).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario

    F. L. M. PATTISON & R. E. A. DEAR

Authors
  1. F. L. M. PATTISON
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  2. R. E. A. DEAR
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PATTISON, F., DEAR, R. Synthesis of the Toxic Principle of Dichapetalum toxicarium (18-Fluoro-cis-9-Octadecenoic Acid). Nature 192, 1284–1285 (1961). https://doi.org/10.1038/1921284a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/1921284a0

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