Phenolic glycosides of forage legume Onobrychis viciifolia

A chemical examination of the extractives of the leaves of sainfoin was undertaken as part of a programme directed at understanding the factors which may contribute to its nutritive value as animal feed. Among the low molecular weight phenolic compounds characterized were seven cinnamic acid derivatives and nine flavonoid glycosides all of which were identified by NMR spectroscopy. Included among these compounds were two new natural hydroxycinnamic esters namely methyl 6-O-p-trans-coumaroyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside and methyl 6-O-p-cis-coumaroyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside and a novel flavonoid chrysoeriol-4'-O-(6''-O-acetyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside.