Biosynthesis. Part XX. Biosynthesis of c-homoaporphines in Kreysigia multiflora

Abstract

Specifically ¹⁴C-labelled 1-phenethylisoquinolines are administered to Kreysigia multiflora plants and the isolated alkaloids are degraded by an unambiguous sequence. The results show that the C-homoaporphine skeleton (1) is built from autumnaline (20), probably by ortho–para phenol coupling. Comment is made on the taxonomic interest of these findings in relation to the biosynthesis of colchicine (3) in Colchicum autumnale.