Acid from Ergot Alkaloids

Lysergic Acid from Ergot Alkaloids by Ernst Boris Chain, Cesare Bonino and Antonio Tonolo Rome, Italy July 19,1960 

236 mg. of alkaloid derivative of d-lysergic acid are heated in a methanolic 1 N KOH for one hour. Ammonia is evolved from the mixture. The solution is acidified with 4 N acetic acid 121 mg. of d-lysergic acid are obtained. Source Chain 1964. See also page 191 

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Until now no process was known which allows the physiologically practically inactive lysergic acid to be linked with a basic residue, such as an amino-alcohol or an amino acid, in order to prepare compounds of the type of ergot alkaloids. This was primarily due to the fact that lysergic acid was very difficult to prepare, as it was only obtainable as a degradation product from ergot alkaloids and because its constitution was unknown. 

I think that if you dry the lysergic acid (obtained from the ergot alkaloids by hydrolysis as described earlier) it will also work in methods A and B. This is how you dry lysergic acid dry under high vacuum at 140-145° for 2-3 hours. 

This was invented by Hofmann and is a superior method because you may proceed from the ergot alkaloids to LSD without isolating the lysergic acid. CA, 57,12568 (1%2). 

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