Page:Chronicles of pharmacy (Volume 2).djvu/281

 more complicated than that of coniine; atropine, for example, is represented by the formula

H   H2 H2CCC            CH2OH | /       \           |     | N—CH3 CH—O—CO—CH | \       /           | H2CCC            C6H5 H  H2

The molecule of quinoline contains a benzene and a pyridine nucleus condensed thus:—

HC   CH     \ C / // \ / \\ HC  ||   CH HC   ||   CH  \\  / \  // \\/ C \// HC   N

Among the alkaloids of the quinoline group may be mentioned those of cinchona bark and nux vomica. The constitution of these alkaloids is very complex, and in most cases but little understood. As an example of the cinchona group quinine may be taken. Its structure is probably

CH                    /  |  \ /  |   \              H2C  CH2 CH—CH==CH2 |   |    |              H2C  HO·C    CH2 \ / |    /                     \/  |   /                     /\  |  /                    /  \ | /                 CH2  N                / HC    C        // \ C / \\ CH3OC|  \ /  |CH HC|  | |  |CH \\ C \ // HC  N

the formula being C20H24N2O2. Quinine has not been completely synthesised, but it has been prepared from cupreine, another cinchona alkaloid. The strychnos