156 CHEMISTRY OF PLANT LIFE 



Coniine, CsHiyN, is found in the umbelliferous plant, Conium 

 maculatum. Structurally, it is a propyl-piperidine, represented 

 by the following formula: 



H 2 



H 2 C CH 2 



I I 

 H 2 C CH C 3 H 7 



N 



Nicotine, CioHi4N 2 , is the alkaloid of tobacco leaves. It is an 

 extremely poisonous, oily liquid, with a strong odor and a burning 

 taste. Its structural formula shows it to contain both a pyrridine 

 ring and a pyrrolidine ring, linked together thus 



H 



C H 2 C -- CH 2 



/\ i ! 



HC C - HC CH 2 



il I V 



HC CH N 



\/- I 



N CH 3 



Hygrine, C?Hi 3 NO, from coca leaves, is an acetic acid salt of 

 pyrrolidine, represented by the following formula: 



H 2 C -- CH OC-CH 3 

 H 2 C CH 2 



Y 



CH 3 



Atropine and hyoscyamine, Ci7H 23 N03, are optical isomers. 

 Atropine is an extremely poisonous, white crystalline compound, 

 which is obtained from deadly nightshade and henbane, and used 

 in medicine, in minute doses, as an agent for reducing temperature 

 in acute cases of fevers. Structurally, it is a tropic acid ester of 

 tropane, represented by the following formula: 



