Bisjatrorrhizine, a new dimeric protoberberine alkaloid from Jatrorrhiza palmata[Lam.] miers

Abstract

A new quaternary protoberberine alkaloid, bisjatrorrhizine, has been isolated from Jatrorrhiza palmata. A structural assignment based on the analysis of the n.m.r. spectra of the original alkaloid and its methylation products, and on the mass spectral fragmentation pattern of the hydrogenation products, was confirmed by a partial synthesis of the alkaloid by catalytic oxidative coupling of jatrorrhizine chloride.