OCONORINE

Description

A further alkaloid from Ocotea species, this base forms an amorphous powder which cannot be crystallized. It is dextrorotatory with [α] ²⁷ _D+ 156° (c 0.2, CHC13) and gives an ultraviolet spectrum in ethanol with absorption maxima at 222 and 276 mil and a shoulder at 310 mil. It may be separated from the accompanying bases by column chromatography and forms a methyl ether which is also amorphous and a crystalline methiodide, m.p. 204-5°C; [α] ²⁷ _D+ 7° (c 0.2, CHC13). Four methoxyl groups and a phenolic hydroxyl group are present in the molecule, the structure being Il-hydroxy-l : 2: 3: 10-tetramethoxyaporphine.

References

Cava et al., Tetrahedron Lett., 2437 (1968)