Chapter 3 The Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids

TLDR: The chapter explores that over 100 alkaloids have been isolated from members of the Amaryllidaceae, and most compounds may be classified into eight principal, skeletally homogeneous subgroups although there are several other alkaloid having structures derived from these main molecular frameworks.

Abstract: Publisher Summary The Amaryllidaceae alkaloids constitute an important group of naturally occurring bases possessing a diversity of functionality and structure. The chapter explores that over 100 alkaloids have been isolated from members of the Amaryllidaceae, and most compounds may be classified into eight principal, skeletally homogeneous subgroups although there are several other alkaloids having structures derived from these main molecular frameworks. Representative alkaloids from each of these classes include lycorine, lycorenine, narciclasine, galanthamine, crinine, pretazettine, latisodine, and montanine. It discusses that the plants of the family Amaryllidaceae continue to yield alkaloids having interesting biological activities. Lycorine has been found to inhibit growth in higher plants and yeasts by suppressing cell division and cell elongation. The alkaloids of the crinine group have been the objects of intensive synthetic investigations, and a number of general and useful strategies have been developed. The biogenetic approach to crinine and maritidine has been explored, and an attempt to access pretazettine via an oxidative coupling process has led to 6a-epipretazettin.