Column chromatography of the alkaloidal extract from the roots of Thalictrum minus var. elatum Koch provides this highly-substituted alkaloid (cL thalmelati dine). Purification by recrystallization from Et20-heptane gives colourless
crystals with the above melting point. When EtOH is used as the crystallizing
solvent, the product has a higher m.p. of 1 08-1 10°C. The alkaloid has [α]24D +
22° (c 0.9, MeOH) and gives an ultraviolet spectrum in EtOH consisting of a
single absorption maximum at 283 ffi/.1.