The CH/π interaction is a weak molecular force occurring between CH groups and π-groups. A study was carried out by use of the Cambridge Structural Database in order to obtain insights into the nature of the CH/π interaction and to examine its role in the crystal packing. The proportion of organic molecules bearing at least one CH/π interaction in their crystal structures has been found considerable. The CH hydrogen atoms tend to point toward the center of the aromatic ring. A number of short CH/π distances have been shown in the crystal structures of organic compounds. Moreover, the mean CH/π distance decreases as the acidity of the CH group increases. These results suggest that the CH/π interaction is not simply due to the dispersion force but involves other types of interactions, which are orientation-dependent and effective at wider ranges. It was suggested that the CH/π interaction constitutes one of the important factors in controlling the crystal packing of molecules.

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A new nematicidal alkaloid, peniprequinolone (1), together with the known alkaloids penigequinolones A and B (2a, 2b), 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-4-(4'-methoxyphenyl)quinolinone (3), and 3-methoxy-4,6-dihydroxy-4-(4'-methoxyphenyl)quinolinone (4), were isolated from Penicillium cf. simplicissimum (Oudemans) Thom. Cyclopenin (5) and a compound (6a/6b) structurally related to cyclopenin also were isolated from the fungus, and their structures were established by spectroscopic analysis. The biological activities of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 were examined by a bioassay with root-lesion nematodes.

Two new caryophyllene sesquiterpenes have been isolated from Pestalotiopsis sp., an endophytic fungus associated with the bark and leaves of Taxus brevifolia. Pestalotiopsin A (1) has a novel oxatricyclic ring system while pestalotiopsin B (3) exists as two slowly equilibrating atropisomers (6:5 ratio of ββ:βα) in chloroform solution at room temperature. Structures of 1 and 3 were determined by spectroscopic analyses and single-crystal X-ray diffraction.