Lecanoric acid

Lecanoric acid is a chemical produced by several species of lichen.^[1] Lecanoric acid is classified as a polyphenol and a didepside, and it functions as an antioxidant.^[2] It is an ester of orsellinic acid with itself.

Lecanoric acid

Names
Preferred IUPAC name 4-[(2,4-Dihydroxy-6-methylbenzoyl)oxy]-2-hydroxy-6-methylbenzoic acid
Other names Orsellinate depside
Identifiers
CAS Number	480-56-8
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
ChEBI	CHEBI:15871
ChEMBL	ChEMBL1451874
ChemSpider	89997
KEGG	C02868
PubChem CID	99613
UNII	D0M65TKS0F
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID60197384
InChI InChI=1S/C16H14O7/c1-7-3-9(17)5-11(18)14(7)16(22)23-10-4-8(2)13(15(20)21)12(19)6-10/h3-6,17-19H,1-2H3,(H,20,21) Key: HEMSJKZDHNSSEW-UHFFFAOYSA-N
SMILES CC1=CC(=CC(=C1C(=O)OC2=CC(=C(C(=C2)C)C(=O)O)O)O)O
Properties
Chemical formula	C16H14O7
Molar mass	318.281 g·mol−1
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). Infobox references

The acid is named after the lichen Lecanora, in which it was discovered. The acid has also been isolated from Usnea subvacata, Parmotrema stuppuem, Parmotrema tinctorum, Parmotrema grayana, Xanthoparmelia arida and Xanthoparmelia lecanorica.^[3][4] A related compound, 5-chlorolecanoric acid, is found in some species of Punctelia.^[5]