Abstract
A phytochemical investigation of the foliose lichen Parmotrema tsavoense (Krog and Swinscow) Krog and Swinscow (Parmeliaceae) resulted in the isolation of a new trichlorinated xanthone, isodemethylchodatin. The structure elucidation of this new norlichexanthone derivative proved tricky owing to proton deficiency, and to the lack of NMR data of closely related analogues. The structure of this compound was determined based on an integrated interpretation of (13)C-NMR chemical shifts, MS spectra, and DP4-based computational chemistry was also performed to provide an independent and unambiguous validation of the determined structure. Isodemethylchodatin represents the first chlorinated lichexanthone/norlichexanthone derivative bearing a methoxy group at C-5.