Litsea citrata

IV-Methyllaurotetaninc, C20H23O4N. This alkaloid was obtained by Spath and Suominen from Litsea citrata. It distils at 205-15° (air-bath temperature) urder a pressure of 0-01 mm. and is dextro-rotatory. Diazomethane converts it into glaucine and Hofmann degradation of the ethyl ether yields 3 5 6-trimethoxy-2-ethoxy-8-vinylphenanthrene, m.p. 140-1°, identical with that obtained from laurotetanine (see above). The alkaloid is therefore represented by formula II (NMe replacing NH). 

Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers. (Litsea citrata BL, Laurus cubeba Lour., Daphnidium cubeba), or pokok myuniak kayah puteh (Malay, Indonesian), is a shrub which grows wild in China, Korea, Vietnam, and Indonesia. The stems are smooth the leaves are aromatic, simple, and exstipulate. The petiole is about 1 cm long. The blade is lanceolate, thinly coriaceous, 12—4 cm X 3-1 cm and shows six to eight pairs of secondary nerves. The fruits are globose and 3 mm in diameter (Fig. 26). 

Laurotetanine, C13H21O4N. H2O. This alkaloid was first isolated by Greshoff from Litsea chrysocoma, who also found it in a number of other Lauraceae, and subsequently by Filippo from L. citrata, and by Gorter from L. cubeba. 

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