Neoflavonoids are a class of polyphenolic compounds. While flavonoids (in the narrow sense) have the 2-phenylchromen-4-one backbone, neoflavonoids have the 4-phenylchromen backbone with no hydroxyl group substitution at position 2.
Neoflavonoids include 4-arylcoumarins (neoflavones), 4-arylchromanes, dalbergiones and dalbergiquinols.
Neoflavones are derived from the 4-phenylcoumarin (or 4-Aryl-coumarin) backbone (C15H12O2, molar mass : 224.25g/mol, exact mass : 224.083729). The first neoflavone isolated from natural sources was calophyllolide from Calophyllum inophyllum seeds (1951). It is also known to found in bark and timber of Sri Lankan endemic plant Mesua thwaitesii.
Neoflavenes possess the 4-phenylchromen backbone (chemical formula : C15H10O2, exact mass : 222.0680792). Dalbergichromene, extracted from the stem-bark and heartwood of Dalbergia sissoo, is an example of such compounds
Coutareagenin (5-hydroxy-7-methoxy-4-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2H-benzo-1-pyran-2-on) found in Hintonia latiflora
Dalbergin
Nivetin isolated from Echinops niveus
