8210. Ricinine

Nomenclature

CAS number: 524-40-3
1,2-Dihydro-4-methoxy-1-methyl-2-oxo-3-pyridinecarbonitrile; 1,2-dihydro-4-methoxy-1-methyl-2-oxonicotinonitrile; ricidine.
C8H8N2O2; mol wt 164.16.
C 58.53%, H 4.91%, N 17.06%, O 19.49%.

Description and references

From seeds and leaves of the castor plant, Ricinus communis L., Euphorbiaceae. Extraction procedure: B"ottcher, Ber. 51, 673 (1918). Synthesis starting with polymerization of cyanoacetyl chloride: Schroeter et al., Ber. 65, 432 (1932). Biosynthesis: Waller, Henderson, J. Biol. Chem. 236, 1186 (1961); Essery et al., Can. J. Chem. 41, 1142 (1963).

Chemical structure

Properties

Prisms, needles from alc, mp 201.5°. Sublimes at 170-180° under 20 mm pressure. Sparingly sol in water, alc, chloroform, ether. Neutral to litmus. Does not form salts with acids.

Caution

Ingestion may cause nausea, vomiting, hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, hepatic and renal damage, convulsions, coma, hypotension, respiratory depression, death.