THE BIOGENESIS OF ALKALOIDS: VI. THE FORMATION OF HORDENINE AND N-METHYLTYRAMINE FROM TYRAMINE IN BARLEY

Abstract

Tyramine-α-C14, synthesized from C14-barium carbonate, was administered to sprouting barley and radioactive hordenine and N-methyltyramine isolated from the roots. Separation of these alkaloids by chromatography followed by degradation showed that all the activity was located in the α -carbon atom. The specific activity of the N-methyltyramine was about 10 times that of hordenine. From the results it is concluded that tyramine undergoes methylation in the barley root to N-methyltyramine and thence to hordenine.