Isolation and Structural Elucidation of an Isothiocyanate Compound from Indigofera tinctoria Linn. Extract

Indigofera tinctoria is a well-known medicinal plant that possesses several therapeutic activities. Isothiocyanate derivative from hydroethanolic extract of Indigoferatinctoria (HEIT) was isolated by means of chromatographic techniques, i.e. adsorption chromatography,thin layer chromatography and high-pressure liquid chromatography. Structural characterization of isolated compound was done using various spectroscopic techniques (liquid chromatograph–mass spectrometry,1H nuclear magnetic resonance and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy) and the possible structure was identified as 1-[1,2-Diisothiocyanato-2-(3-isothiocyanato-2,2-dimethyl-propylsulphanyl)-ethoxy]-3-isothiocyanato-2,2-dimethyl-propane (C₁₆H₂₂N₄OS₅;m/z 446.70; ITC-1). Maximum yield of ITC-1 was obtained as 22 mg/5 g HEIT with 97% purity.