Nigramides A-S, dimeric amide alkaloids from the roots of Piper nigrum.

[structure: see text] Fifteen novel dimeric amide alkaloids possessing a cyclohexene ring, nigramides A-O (1-15), as well as four novel dimeric amide alkaloids possessing a cyclobutane ring, nigramides P-S (17-20), have been isolated from the roots of Piper nigrum. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of their spectroscopic data. The biosynthestic hypothesis of nigramides A-O (1-15) was proposed by an intermolecular Diels-Alder reaction from the corresponding monomeric amides. On the basis of this biosynthetic hypothesis, the first study of the thermal and Lewis acid mediated Diels-Alder reactions of piperine in different organic solvents and under solventless conditions is also described.