Abstract:
(1) Senecio sceleratus sp. nov. 'Schweickerdt is an extremely toxic Senecio
species. It contains at least three more or less toxic alkaloids, viz., isatidine,
retrorsine and a new alkaloid, sceleratine,
(2) Sceleratine, C₁₈H₂₇O₇N, crystallizes with one molecule of water of
of crystallization from water and apparently three molecules of ethanol of
crystallization from ethyl alcohol. M.P. 178°C, [α]D/21 = +54·0° (ethanol).
(3) Upon catalytic hydrogenation sceleratine undergoes hydrogenolysis at
the B-hydroxyl and retronecanol and sceleranecic dilactone acid are isolated.
(4) Hydrolysis of sceleratine leads to the isolation of the well-known necine base, retronecine and a new dilactone necic acid viz. sceleranecic acid.
(5) Sceleranecic acid has the formula C₁₀H₁₄O₅, the m.p. 156°C. (also 213°C.) and [α]24/D = -9.3 (water).
(6) Sceleratine is bitter, fairly soluble in water and readily forms addition compounds with hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, picric acid, perchloric acid, methyl-iodide and aurichloride.
(7) Experiments to determine the relative toxicity of the alkaloids mentioned are being carried out.
