Imperatorin

Imperatorin is a furocoumarin and a phytochemical and can be isolated from  Urena lobata L. (Malvaceae). Its biosynthesis is from umbelliferone, a coumarin derivative.



Typical procedure [1]. Air-dried and pulverised roots (1.5 kg) of this plant were exhaustively extracted under reflux with benzene. The solvent was distilled off under the reduced pressure to yield 8 g of the extract which was then column chromatographed over silica gel. Elution of the column with petroleum ether: benzene (4:3) eluate yielded an impure solid which on rechromatography over silica-gel column afforded a pure solid crystallized from petroleum-ether as crystals (I), yield: 34mg (0.0023 %).