Studies on some dehydrogenation products of emetine

Abstract

This thesis is concerned chiefly with the study of some dehydrogenation product obtained by mild oxidation of emetine. The primary aim was to obtain information about some of the dehydrogenation products of emetine which would permit elucidation of their structures. Attempts to prepare new disasteroisomers of emetine by reduction of the unsaturated derivatives have also been made. Results of this work have provided valuable information of use in proposing structures for tetradehydroemetine and isotetradehydroemetine. In addition, a diasteroisomer of emetine heretofore unreported has been isolated and characterized. Some Addition work has been concerned with dehrdrohalrubremetine, a compound derived from rubremetinium chloride, and significant information about its structure has been secured.