Abstract: | On the basis of a critical study of the ultra-violet and the infra-red absorption spectra of arborine, dihydroarborine, 1,2-dimethylquinazol-4-one, 2-ethyl-1-methylquinazol-4-one, 2,3-dihydro-1,2-dimethylquinazol-4-one and 2,3-dihydro-2-ethyl-1-methylquinazol-4-one, it has been shown that arborine is 2-benzyl-1-methylquinazol-4-one and not the tautomeric form, 2-benzylidene-1-methylquinazol-4-one. This has been confirmed on the basis of the nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum of arborine. Incidentally, it has been shown that 'glycosine' of Chatterjee and Ghosh Majumdar is not a new alkaloid and this name should be deleted from the literature. |