Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 10, 2026

Juncusol

Juncusol is a 9,10-dihydrophrenathrene found in Juncus species such as J. acutus, J. effusus or J. roemerianus.

Last revised
Jun 10, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
Length
357 w
Citations
10
Source
Juncusol
source ↗
Names
Preferred IUPAC name
5-Ethenyl-1,6-dimethyl-9,10-dihydrophenanthrene-2,7-diol
Other names
1,6-Dimethyl-5-vinyl-9,10-dihydro-2,7-phenanthrenediol
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChemSpider
UNII
  • InChI=1S/C18H18O2/c1-4-13-10(2)17(20)9-12-5-6-14-11(3)16(19)8-7-15(14)18(12)13/h4,7-9,19-20H,1,5-6H2,2-3H3
    Key: XNVMKPYDOHZJLR-UHFFFAOYSA-N
  • CC1=C(C=CC2=C1CCC3=CC(=C(C(=C32)C=C)C)O)O
Properties
C18H18O2
Molar mass 266.340 g·mol−1
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).

Juncusol is a 9,10-dihydrophrenathrene found in Juncus species such as J. acutus,1 J. effusus23 or J. roemerianus.45

It can also be synthesized.678

This compound shows antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus.4 It also has a toxic effect on estuarine fish and shrimp.9

References

References

  1. Behery, Fathi Abdelmohsen Abdelhalim; Naeem, Zain Elabdin Metwally; Maatooq, Galal Taha; Amer, Mohamed Mahmoud Abdelfattah; Wen, Zhi-Hong; Sheu, Jyh-Horng; Ahmed, Atallah Fouad (2007). "Phenanthrenoids from Juncus acutus L., New Natural Lipopolysaccharide-Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibitors". Chemical & Pharmaceutical Bulletin. 55 (8): 1264. doi:10.1248/cpb.55.1264.
  2. Bhattacharyya (1980). "Structure of effusol: A new phenolic constituent from Juncus effusus". Experientia. 36: 27–28. doi:10.1007/bf02003949. S2CID 41731083.
  3. Shima (1991). "Phenanthrene derivatives from the medullae of Juncus effusus". Phytochemistry. 30 (9): 3149–3151. doi:10.1016/s0031-9422(00)98276-1.
  4. Chapatwala, Kirit D.; de la Cruz, Armando A.; Miles, D.Howard (1981). "Antimicrobial activity of juncusol, a novel 9-10-dihydrophenanthrene from the marsh plant". Life Sciences. 29 (19): 1997–2001. doi:10.1016/0024-3205(81)90609-3. PMID 6796796.
  5. Miles, D. H.; Bhattacharyya, J; Mody, N. V.; Atwood, J. L.; Black, S; Hedin, P. A. (1977). "The structure of juncusol. A novel cytotoxic dihydrophenanthrene from the Estuarine marsh plant Juncus roemerianus". Journal of the American Chemical Society. 99 (2): 618–20. doi:10.1021/ja00444a056. PMID 830696.
  6. McDonald, Edward; Martin, Roger T. (1978). "Total synthesis of juncusol". Tetrahedron Letters. 19 (47): 4723. doi:10.1016/S0040-4039(01)85715-4.
  7. Boger, Dale L.; Mullican, Michael D. (1984). "Regiospecific total synthesis of juncusol". The Journal of Organic Chemistry. 49 (21): 4045. doi:10.1021/jo00195a034.
  8. Jacobi, Peter A.; Zheng, Wanjun (1991). "A novel synthesis of juncusol". Tetrahedron Letters. 32 (10): 1279. doi:10.1016/S0040-4039(00)79645-6.
  9. de la Cruz, A. A.; Miles, D. H.; Chapatwala, K. D. (1982). "Toxic effects of juncusol, a marsh plant phenolic extract, on estuarine fish and shrimp". Life Sciences. 30 (21): 1805–10. doi:10.1016/0024-3205(82)90317-4. PMID 7098770.
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