Adina alkaloids: desoxycordifoline, 3α,5α- and 3β,5α-tetrahydrodesoxycordifoline lactam

Derivatives of both epimeric tetrahydrodesoxycordifolines (3a) and (3b) have been isolated and the structures determined; partial synthesis of methyldesoxycordifoline tetra-acetate (1c) has established the predicted structure and the absolute configuration of the cordifolines.