[Second Edition.

N° 11,647 .A.D. 1900

Date') of Application, 27th June, 1900-Accepted, 11th Aug., 1900

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.

_Process of Manufacturing Yohimbine.

I, Dr. LEOPOLD SPIEGEL, of No. 21,:, Chausseestrass~, N., Berlin, G'erm.an.y,
Chemist, do hereby declare the nature 0£ this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the ·following stat~ment: -
5 Yohimbine is the active alkaloid o:f yohim.behe bark, which forms an article
of export of Kamerun, South-West Africa. The bark is that of a tree belonging
to the family: apocynaceae, species. Tubernaemontana.
To produce this alkaloid in its pure state the pulverised bark is extracted
with dilute acetic acid. From this solution the alkaloid is precipitated by the
10 addition .o:f ca1·bonate of soda, and after drying is purified by recrystallization
from alcohol. ·· ·
Yohimbi0:e corresponds to the formula C22H 30N 0~ or Cs:JHS'dN1p"' it crystal-
lizes in the form of white needles melting at 2a4 Jeg1·ees Centigrade. .
Its corresponding salts are formed by treating the alkaloid with dilute acids
15 or aqueous solutions of the same and evaporating the solvent until crystalliza-
tion 1:iegins. l'he hydrochloric acid salt has the formula 0 22~N1s08 HC1. or
. C~30N 1p 8HC1 ; it consists of minute white needl~s, melting at 300 degrees
Centigrade. r
Yohimbine is easily soluble in methyl-ethyl-, andi amyl-alcohol, ether, ace-
~O tone, and chloroform, less 'soluble.in ben~ol, neady insoluble in water.
Its characteristic reactions are the following : It dissolves colourless in con-
centrated sulphuric acid, a minute crystal of potassium bichromate added to it
produces a zone with a rioh blue-violet margin which slowly turns to a. dull
green.
25 With concentrated nitric acid it · forms a colourless solution. which quickly
turns a. deep yellow, t.urning a beautiful orange-red on adding an excess of_
caustio soda solution. ,
Erdmann's reagent causes a dark blue-bJ.ack colour, which · quickly turns
greenish and finally yellowish-brown. . _
30 Having now pa:rticularly described and ascertained. the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the sa.me is to be performed I declare t-hat what
I claim :is:- ·
1. The process of extracting Y ohimbine :from Yohimbehe bark which con-
sists in extracting the :pulvedzed bark with dilute acetic acid, precipitating
:-rn the alkaloid · with carbonate of soda and purifying the same by recrystallization
£rom alcohol. · .
2. Treating Yohimbehe bark with dilute acetic acid substantially as described.
3. Precipitating Yohimbine from an- acetic acid solution by the addition of
-carbonate of soda substantially as desciibed. .
40 4. As a new· product of manufacture the alkaloid Yohimbine, crystallizing in
white needles from alcohol, near~y insoluble in water, having a melting point
.[Prfoe BdJ 'f>~t\MINGH,<4,
FREE
~
 . _.
2 N° 11,64:7.-A.D. 1000.
Spiegel's Process of Manlufa.cturing Yohimb(ne.
of 234 degrees Centigrade, and p«;>rrespondin,g to the formula C22H 30N 2 0 i or
C~32 N 2 0 41 s-q.bstantially as described.
5. The corr~ponding salts and derivatives which may be pro_d ucod from
Yohimbine substantially as d:escriped. . ·
Dated this 8th day of J u~e 1900. - 5
. '
DR. LEOPOLD SPIEGEL.
• . • . ·, _-.;..-.:..:'··-=--•_:_'_,_,_,____:_:__ _' - - ' - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Redhill: hi~ted for Iler Maje~ty's Stationery Office. by Malcomson & Co •• Ltd.
(G. 557f>-125-ll/1900

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