Sources Of The Lysergic Amides

Natural sources of the lysergic amides, including harvesting procedures for ergot-infested rye and Spartina marsh-grass... 

Ergine, molecular formula C16H17N3O, is the amide of D-lysergic acid, and commonly known as LSA or LA-111. It is an ergoline alkaloid that occurs in various species of the Convolvulaceae, and in some species of fungus. Rivea corymbosa (ololiuqui), Argyreia nervosa (Hawaiian baby woodrose) and Ipomoea violacea (tlitliltzin) are three major sources of this alkaloid. 

The plant sources of lysergic acid amides contain not just one psychoactive molecule but several variations in effect are possible due to growing seasons and other environmental influences on the chemistry of the plant. Again, I should mention that in the American varieties of psychedelic lpomoea there is a uterotonic effect—hence these should not be used by... 

The c -iso-lysergic acid N,N-diethyl amide which remains adsorbed on the alumina column as the second fluorescent zone is removed from the column by elution with chloroform. The iso form of the amide is recovered by evaporating the chloroform eluate to dryness in vacuo. Source Pioch 1956... 

The residual syrup containing the two /-(+)-propanol amides of d,Z-lysergic acid is treated with methanol and excess maleic acid to convert the two amides into their maleate salts. The mixture of amide maleates is precipitated from the methanol solution by the addition of ethyl ether, and the precipitated mixture is filtered off and dried in air. Source Garbrecht 1956... 

There have been recent reports of a wholly new source of lysergic acid amides. The so called Sleepy Grass (Stipa robusta) of the desert areas of the American West is reported to have an alkaloid content approaching that of ergot, and should be a good source of raw material to feed into acid production. See Discover magazine, Dec. 92. 

Yield about 0.3 g. The sample thus obtained contains one molecule of benzene of crystallization which can he separated by heating the amide at 100° C. in high vacuo. The analysis values obtained correspond to the formula C18H210N3. The rac. lysergic acid dimethylamide is easily soluble in ethanol and acetone, rather dif cultly soluble in benzene and practically insoluble in water. It gives the blue Keller s colour reaction. Source Sandoz 1938... 

---