Studies on the Chemistry of Lichens, XIX. New Amino Compounds from Anaptychia fusca and Several Stereocaulon Species

The lichen Anaptychia fusca and several Stereocaulon species have been chemically investigat­ ed with regard to their content o f unknown ninhydrin-positive compounds. N ew aliphatic and alicyclic, amino components isolated from water extracts o f these lichen species have been charac­ terised as aminopentitol, aminohexitol and aminocyclitetrol. To our knowledge, this is the first time that compounds such as these have been found in lichen material. Am inopentitol and am ino­ cyclitetrol appear to be characteristic constituents o f Anaptychia fusca, whereas am inohexitol has been found in several species o f Stereocaulaceae.