Description
The leaves of Tabernanthe iboga and T. subsessilis yield this alkaloid which
occurs with ibophyllidine (q.v.). When crystallized from Me2CO it yields colourless
monoclinic crystals. The base has a specific rotation of [α]
D + 444° (c 1.0, CHCl3)
and gives an ultraviolet spectrum in EtOH with absorption maxima at 227, 295
and 328 nm. Iboxyphylline has been characterized as the O-acetate with m.p.
167°C and a specific rotation of [α]
D + 466° (c 1.0, CHCI3). The structure given
above has been confirmed by X-ray crystallography. The crystals are monoclinic
with space group P2 1 and a = 9.7642, b = 12.4493 and c = 8.1182 A with Z = 2.
References
Khuong-Huu et al., Tetrahedron, 32, 2539 (1976)
