CONSTITUENTS OF THE OLEORESIN OF THE MALE FERN (DRYOPTERIS FILIX MAS L.): PART I. ALCOHOL AND STEROL FRACTIONS

The solid alcohol fraction of the oleoresin of the male fern was shown to contain two higher primary alcohols, 1-tricosano1 and 1-docosanol. The sterol fraction was found by means of chemical and spectrographic evidence to be 5,11(?)-stigmastadien-3β-ol.1-Tricosanol was synthesized from behenic (docosanoic) acid via tricosanoic acid, the latter being the product of Arndt-Eistert synthesis. 1-Docosanol was synthesized by LiAlH 4 reduction of behenic acid.