N-methylpyrrolidone: Isolation and characterization of the compound from the marine sponge Clathria frondifera (class:Demospongiae)

Abstract

An investigation of the chemical composition of the marine sponge Clathria frondifera resulted in the isolation of the compound N-methylpyrrolidone which is widely used in the petrochemical, microelectronics fabrication, paint and pharmaceutical industry. This is the first report on the isolation and structural characterization of N-methylpyrrolidone from a marine source. The compound was purified by column chromatography and analyzed by TLC. The functional groups were analyzed by FTIR spectrum. The structure of the compound was established by spectroscopic analysis (UV, 1H and 13C NMR) and elucidated with the aid of COSY, HMQC, and HMBC experiments.