N,N',N"-triferuloylspermidine, a new UV absorbing polyamine derivative from pollen of Hippeastrum x hortorum.

A new hydroxycinnamoyl polyamine derivative, N,N',N"-triferuloylspermidine (= (E)-N-(4-aminobutyl) -3,3',3"-tris(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-N,N',N"- (butane-1,4-diyl)tris [prop-2-enamide]) (1) was detected in the H2O/MeOH extract of pollen from Hippeastrum x hortorum. The compound was identified by on-line-coupled high-performance liquid chromatography and atmospheric-pressure chemical-ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-UV(DAD)/APCI-MS and MS/MS). The structure was proven by comparing the HPLC/MS data after UV-induced (E) <==> (Z) photoisomerization and catalytic hydrogenation of the natural compound and the synthetic reference compound. This is the first report of a triferuloylspermidine in nature.