Historical material alkaloids

Most of the early work carried out on the synthesis of these compounds was aimed at the elucidation of the structures of various harmala and other alkaloids. It will not be presented here in historical sequence but rather in a systematic fashion according to the starting materials and the synthetic methods used. 

Since related alkaloids frequently form mixtures that are not readily separable, purification of the bases obtainable has been assured only by careful application of modem techniques. For this reason much of the early work, some of which dates back to the first half of the nineteenth century, is now of historical rather than chemical interest. The examination by many early workers of impure material caused confusion and impeded, rather than aided, later chemical work. Whilst no stmcture has been established for any alkaloid discussed in this chapter, recently tentative formulations (1,2) have been put forward as a basis for the review of the properties of atisine. In spite of the lack of stmctural formulas, a great deal of information is available about the properties and chemical behavior of the Aconitum and Delphinium alkaloids, and the close interrelation of some alkaloids of the two species has been fully elucidated. 

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