Separating and Purifying Alkaloids of Ergot

By dissolving 1 equivalent of the base with 1 equivalent of d-tartaric acid in a little methanol, the neutral tartrate of the diethyl-amine of d-lysergic acid crystallises in needles imited in bundles. The salt is very readily soluble in water and melts without sharpness and with decomposition at 200° C. (corn). Source Sandoz 1946 

Ergot alkaloids and their salts form solvent complexes with the solvent of crystallization. This will cause breakdown of the alkaloid. Solvent complexes are broken off (dried) by heating the alkaloid in high vacuum till constant weight or for approximately one hour. 

Examples The sample (rac. lysergic acid dimethylamide) thus obtained contains one molecule of benzene of crystallization which can be separated by heating the amide at 100° C. in high vacuo. Sandoz 1936 

Fractional Crystallization of cZ-Lysergic Acid Piperidide cZ-Tartrate by Sandoz 

On mixing equivalent amounts of lysergic acid piperidide and d-tartaric acid in 5 times the amount of methanol the (f-tartrate crystallizes in the form of needles having a melting point of 145-150° [a]D20=-t-15° (0.4% concentration in water). Source Sandoz 1956 

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