Two-dimensional TLC separation and mass spectrometric identification of anthraquinones isolated from the fungus Dermocybe sanguinea.

A new two-dimensional TLC technique was developed to separate substituted anthraquinones on silica plates using n-pentanol-pyridine-methanol (6:4:3, v/v/v) and toluene-ethyl acetate-ethanol-formic acid (10:8:1:2, v/v/v/v) as eluents. The good separation power of the new technique was demonstrated by applying it to the analysis of complex anthraquinone mixtures isolated from the Scandinavian Dermocybe sanguinea. Emodin, physcion, endocrocin, dermolutein, dermorubin, 5-chlorodermorubin, emodin-1-beta-D-glucopyranoside, dermocybin-1-beta-D-glucopyranoside and dermocybin, and five new, earlier in D. sanguinea unidentified compounds, 7-chloroemodin, 5,7-dichloroemodin, 5,7-dichloroendocrocin, 4-hydroxyaustrocorticone and austrocorticone, were separated and identified on the basis of Rf-values, UV/Vis spectra and mass spectra.