Aphyllic acid

Aslanov et al have extended their work on aphyllic acid (19). Oxidation of aphyllic acid with hydrogen peroxide gives the diacid (20), which can be converted into a 2,10-dioxosparteine. 

Ethyl and methyl esters of aphyllic acid were prepared ethyl aphyllate,C17H30N2O2(monohydrate,m.p.76-77°, [a]o 25.3° (methanol)) methyl aphyllate, C16H28N2O2 (monohydrate, m.p. 82-83°). Hydrolysis of either ester yielded aphyllic acid, C16H26N2O2, m.p. 218-221°. On repeated distillation of the acid, the lactam, C18H24N2O ([a]J, 10.1° (methanol)), was reformed and was found to be identical with aphylline. The Hofmann exhaustive methylation of aphylline proceeded normally... 

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