Studies on the Alkaloids of Formosan Lauraceous Plants. XII. : Alkaloids of Cryptocarya Konishii HAYATA and Machilus acuminatissima (HAY.) KANEHIRA

Abstract

A study was made on the colorless needle crystals (named "crykonisine"), m.p. 235∼236°(decomp.) of the alkaloids isolated from Cryptocary Konishii HAYATA (Japanese name "Konishi-gusu"). Crykonisine shows : [α]23D±0°(EtOH), C18H17O3N, two OCH3 groups, one phenolic hydroxyl group, and real benzylisoquinoline type bases of UV absorption spectrum (Fig.2), tetrahydro derivative treated with zinc powder in HCl shows [α]23D±0°(CHCl3), colorless neddles, m.p. 139∼140°, which is identical with dl-N-norarmepevine (II). Therefore, the structure of crykonisine has been determined as 1-(p-hydroxybenzyl)-6, 7-dimethoxyisoquinoline (I). On the other hand, an investigation was made on the alkaloids from the rootwood and root bark of Machilus acuminatissima (HAY.) KANEHIRA (Japanese name "Usuba-tabu", Chinese name "Chien-yeh-nan") and L-(-)-N-norarmepavine, dl-N-norarmepevine, dl-coclaurine and crykonisine (I) from rootwood, and L-(-)-N-norarmepavine and dl-coclaurine from root bark roots were isolated and have been confirmed. (Table I).