(Z)-N-Formylnornuciferin Isolated from Piper argyrophylum

The title compound (systematic name: 4,5,6a,7-tetrahydro-1,2-dimethoxy-6H-dibenzo[de,g]quinoline-6-carboxaldehyde), C 19 H 19 NO 3 , was isolated as a minor component from the methanol extract of stems of P. argyrophylum Miq. The molecules are non-planar and the two benzene ring planes are at an angle of 21.9 (1)°. The N-formyl group and the two neighbouring C atoms constitute a planar fragment. The C-O-C planes of the two methoxy groups are nearly perpendicular to each other.