Electrochemical and thermal studies of some quaternary benzo(c) phenanthridine alkaloids

The conditions of the electrochemical reduction and oxidation as well as those of thermal demethylation of quaternary benzo(c)-phenanthridine alkaloids namely chelerythrine (1), sanguinarine (2), and fagaronine (3) were studied. Differences in their electrochemical and thermal behavior are correlated with the results obtained from biotransformation studies with liver microsomal fraction.