Ecgonine (

tropane Tropane is a nitrogenous bicyclic organic compound. It is mainly known for the other alkaloids derived from it, which include atropine and cocaine, among others. Tropane alkaloids occur in plants of the families Erythroxylaceae (including coca) ...

derivative) is a

tropane alkaloid Tropane alkaloids are a class of bicyclic .2.1alkaloids and secondary metabolites that contain a tropane ring in their chemical structure. Tropane alkaloids occur naturally in many members of the plant family Solanaceae. Certain tropane alkaloi ...

found naturally in

coca Coca is any of the four cultivated plants in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. Coca is known worldwide for its psychoactive alkaloid, cocaine. Coca leaves contain cocaine which acts as a mild stimulant when chewed or ...

leaves. It has a close structural relation to

cocaine Cocaine is a tropane alkaloid and central nervous system stimulant, derived primarily from the leaves of two South American coca plants, ''Erythroxylum coca'' and ''Erythroxylum novogranatense, E. novogranatense'', which are cultivated a ...

: it is both a

metabolite In biochemistry, a metabolite is an intermediate or end product of metabolism. The term is usually used for small molecules. Metabolites have various functions, including fuel, structure, signaling, stimulatory and inhibitory effects on enzymes, c ...

and a precursor, and as such, it is a controlled substance in many jurisdictions, as are some substances which can be used as precursors to ecgonine itself. Structurally, ecgonine is a

cycloheptane Cycloheptane, also known as Suberane, is an Chemical compound, organic compound, which belongs to the group of cycloalkanes. The compound can occur in different Rotamer, conformers. Production Cycloheptane occurs naturally in petroleum and can b ...

derivative with a nitrogen

bridge A bridge is a structure built to Span (engineering), span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or railway) without blocking the path underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, whi ...

. It is obtained by

hydrolysis Hydrolysis (; ) is any chemical reaction in which a molecule of water breaks one or more chemical bonds. The term is used broadly for substitution reaction, substitution, elimination reaction, elimination, and solvation reactions in which water ...

with acids or

alkali In chemistry, an alkali (; from the Arabic word , ) is a basic salt of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal. An alkali can also be defined as a base that dissolves in water. A solution of a soluble base has a pH greater than 7.0. The a ...

s, and crystallizes with one molecule of water, the crystals melting at 198–199 °C. It is levorotary, and on warming with alkalis gives iso-ecgonine, which is dextrorotary. It is a tertiary base, and has the properties of an acid and an alcohol. It is the

carboxylic acid In organic chemistry, a carboxylic acid is an organic acid that contains a carboxyl group () attached to an Substituent, R-group. The general formula of a carboxylic acid is often written as or , sometimes as with R referring to an organyl ...

corresponding to tropine, for it yields the same products on oxidation, and by treatment with

phosphorus pentachloride Phosphorus pentachloride is the chemical compound with the formula . It is one of the most important phosphorus chlorides/oxychlorides, others being and . finds use as a chlorinating reagent. It is a colourless, water-sensitive solid, althoug ...

is converted into anhydroecgonine, C₉H₁₃NO₂, which, when heated to 280 °C with

hydrochloric acid Hydrochloric acid, also known as muriatic acid or spirits of salt, is an aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride (HCl). It is a colorless solution with a distinctive pungency, pungent smell. It is classified as a acid strength, strong acid. It is ...

, eliminates

carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is made up of molecules that each have one carbon atom covalent bond, covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It is found in a gas state at room temperature and at norma ...

and yields tropidine, C₈H₁₃N.

References

*{{EB1911, wstitle=Ecgonine, volume=8, page=870 Beta-Amino acids Tropane alkaloids found in Erythroxylum coca Secondary alcohols Human drug metabolites

See also

References