Description
A constituent of the cactus Lophocereus Schottii, this alkaloid yields colourless
crystals from AcOEt. The structure is that of a trimeric isoquinoline. A dihydro_x0002_chloride is obtained as the dihydrate, m.p. 228- 232°C (dec.); the diperchlorate
has m.p. 214-7°C; the oxalate forms a crystalline dihydrate, m.p. 158-163°C
(dec.) on rapid heating and m.p. 198- 200°C (dec.) on slow heating. The O-acetate
has m.p. 186°C and the methyl ether exists in two forms as crystals from AcOEt,
m.p. 133-5°C and crystals from hexane which melt at 92-105°C and again at
I 53-5°C after intermediate solidification. The structure has been determined by
chemical degradation and spectroscopic analysis.
References
Djerassi, Frick, Geller., J. Amer. Chern. Soc., 75,3632 (1953)
Djerassi et aI., ibid, 79, 2203 (1957)
Djerassi et al., ibid, 84, 3210 (1962)
Bobbitt, Eberman, Schubert., Tetrahedron Lett., 575 (1963)
Franck, Blasche., ibid, 569 (1963)
