Unusual iridoid glycosides in Veronica sects. Hebe and Labiatoides

In a chemosystematic investigation of three Southern hemisphere species of Veronica, namely the Australian Veronica derwentiana Andrews and Veronica perfoliata R.Br. (formerly Derwentia species), and the New Zealand Veronica catarractae G. Forster (formerly a species of Parahebe), the water-soluble constituents were isolated and identified by spectroscopic methods. Apart from other iridoid glucosides common to the genus, three unusual substituted benzoyl esters of aucubin (derwentiosides A–C) were obtained from V. derwentiana and a chlorinated iridoid glycoside (catarractoside) from V. catarractae in addition to other iridoids common to the genus. The chemical profile of V. perfoliata is similar to that of Northern hemisphere species of Veronica because of the presence of characteristic 6-O-catalpol esters. The profile of V. derwentiana is unique, since 6-O-esters of aucubin rather than of catalpol dominate, however, the acyl groups are the same as those present in catalpol esters found in some other Veronica sections. V. catarractae also contains one of the catalpol esters characteristic of Veronica, but in addition three 6-O-rhamnopyranosyl substituted iridoid glycosides, one of which is 6-O-rhamnopyranosylcatalpol. Esters of the latter compound are previously only known from the more derived species in recent phylogenetic trees of sect. Hebe to which V. catarractae now also belongs, but as a more basal member.