NITROGEN-FREE DERIVATIVES OF ATISINE: AN EXTREMELY HINDERED CARBOXYLIC ACID

Abstract

The action of nitrous acid on azomethines derived from the alkaloid atisine gave a good yield of nitrogen-free hemiacetal, thus providing the first means of removing the nitrogen from the diterpenoid alkaloids. Transformation products of the hemiacetal, including the most hindered carboxylic acid hitherto known, are described. The internal oxidation–reduction reactions encountered in this and related work are discussed.