Biosynthesis of lsoquinoline Alkaloids

The isoquinoline alkaloids and their biosynthetic relatives include many compounds which show important physiological properties in animals: dopamine, mescaline, morphine, papaverine, and narcotine are pertinent examples. The biosynthetic routes to the members of this family start from the essential aminoacids tyiosine or phenflalanine. Decarboxylation gives a phenethylamine building block (C,-C,) which then combines with an additional building block to form an isoquinoline ring. This stage of the general biosynthetic scheme is illustrated by the biosynthesis of the cactus alkaloid anhalonidine. Many important classes of alkaloid are produced by further transformation of simple isoquinoline systems. In T hi s do cu m en t w as d ow nl oa de d fo r pe rs on al u se o nl y. U na ut ho riz ed d is tr ib ut io n is s tr ic tly p ro hi bi te d.