High field and 2D-nmr studies with the aporphine alkaloid glaucine

The aporphine alkaloid glaucine (1) was examined by comparison of the high field (600 MHz) 1H-nmr spectra of 1 vs. racemic 6a,7,7-trideutereoglaucine (4,5), by computer-simulated 1H-nmr spectra at 600 MHz, by using decoupled proton spectra, and two-dimensional COSY and HETCOR experiments with 1 at 500 and 360 MHz, respectively, and using high field (90 MHZ) 13C-nmr of S-(+)-glaucine (1). Emphasis was placed on the resolution of the chemical shifts and coupling constants for the H-4 alpha, H-4 beta, H-5 alpha, H-5 beta, H-6 alpha, H-7 alpha, and H-7 beta alicyclic protons of the molecule, which were previously unassigned. The complete assignment of the alicyclic protons of 1 by 1H-nmr was required for the structural elucidation of deuterated analogs of glaucine, which will be used in microbial transformation studies to determine the stereochemical course of aporphine dehydrogenation by the fungi Fusarium solani (ATCC 12823) and Aspergillus flavipes (ATCC 1030).