Late stages in the biosynthesis of mesembrine: sceletenone as a precursor to the cis-3a-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)octahydroindole alkaloids
Abstract
Radiolabelled tracer experiments with sceletenone (2), 4′-O-demethylmesembrenone (4), and mesembrenones (7) and (8) in Sceletium strictum reveal the sequence of reactions involved in the late stages of the biosynthesis of mesembrine (9) and mesembrenol (5).