New chroman derivatives from the Japanese liverworts Metacalypogeia cordifolia and Cephalozia otaruensis.

The diethyl ether extract of the Japanese liverwort Metacalypogeia cordifolia yielded five new chroman type derivatives in addition to known sesquiterpenoids. One of the new chroman derivatives was also isolated from the ether extract of another liverwort, Cephalozia otaruensis. Their structures were established by extensive two dimensional (2D) NMR techniques and chemical evidence. They were shown to be 2,2-dimethyl-7-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)-chroman derivatives. This was the first example of the isolation of the chroman-type compounds, although various types of aromatic compounds have been isolated from liverworts.