THE VEGETABLE BASES 157 



N CH 3 CHOOC CH 

 H 2 C- CH CH 2 CH 2 OH 



Cocaine, CiyBkiNCU, is found in coca leaves. It is a white 

 crystalline solid, which is largely used as a local anaesthetic for 

 minor surgical operations. Its structural formula is 



H 2 C -- CH -HC OOC CH 3 



N CH 3 HC OOC-C 6 H 5 



I I 



H 2 C - CH - CH 2 



It is, therefore, a di-ester of acetic and benzoic acids with tropane. 

 Cinchonine, Ci9H 22 N 2 O, and quinine, C 2 oH 2 4N 2 O 2 , are alka- 

 loids found in cinchona bark. They are white crystalline solids, 

 which are extensively used in medicine. They have been shown 

 to contain a quinoline group combined with modified piperidine 

 groups, as represented in the following formulas: 



H 



[ 2 C 



H 2 C HCH CH CH=CH 2 



I I I 

 HOH HC HCH CH 2 



N 



Cinchonine 



H 



H 2 C CH CH CH 2 



HOH HC CH 2 



\/ 



N 



Quinine 



Strychnine, C 2 iH 22 N 2 2 , brucine, C 2 iH 20 (OCH 3 )N 2 O 2 , and 

 curarine are three alkaloids which are present in the seeds of several 



