Borate hydro sodium lithium

The racemic laudanosine (7g) syntheses were referred to earlier in The Alkaloids (Vol. XII, p. 348). From the racemic mixture it is difficult to obtain (S)-(+)-laudanosine which is widely distributed in nature. The synthesis of its unnatural (R )-form (in poor yields) has been reported (asymmetric reduction of 3,4-dihydropapaverine with lithium butyl-(hydro)dipinan-3a-y borate) (363). Recently, a description of the biogenetic synthesis of these two forms from methyl-L-(+)-3,4-dihy-droxyphenylalaninate hydrochloride by condensation with sodium 3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)glycinate at pH 4 and 35° was given. Thus, a dia-stereoisomeric mixture of the Pictet-Spengler products 11a and lib (ratio... 

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