Novel photochemical demethylation of cocaine and related compounds
Abstract
The bezoate chromophore activation of the bicyclic-N-methylamines, cocaine, p-toluoyl-(–)-ecgonine methyl ester, benzoltropine, and benzoylpseudotropine, during irradiation resulted in the removal of the N-methyl group; demethylation failed to occur with the monocyclic N-methylamines, 3- and 4-N-methylpiperidinobenzoates.