Abstract: The carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of seventeen protoilludane sesquiterpenoid aromatic esters from the artificially cultured mycelium of Armillaria mellea (Vahl. ex Fr.) Quel.have been analysed and assigned. All the 11CNMR signals of the model compounds melleolide 5 and compounds 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, and 16 can be assigned on the basis of the multiplicity of the signals in the off-resonance decoupled spectra or INEPT spectra, ¹³C-¹H COSY and long-range ¹³C-¹¹H COSY. The assignments of the ¹³C NMR spectra of other protoilludane sesquiterpenoid aromatic esters were completed by comparison with the model compounds as well as the electronic effects of substituted group on the molecules. The present results indicate that 11CNMR spectroscopy provides an effective method for characterizing the protoilludane sesquiterpenoid aromatic esters.

Key words: Armillaria mellea (Vahl.ex Fr.) Quel, Protoilludane sesquiterpenoid, Carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance