Conhydrine: An account of isolation, biological perspectives and synthesis

Abstract

Conhydrine is a naturally occurring 2-substituted piperidine alkaloid from the plant Conium maculatum L that exists in four different forms and is known for its high toxicity. This article focuses on the synthesis of conhydrine as its medicinal applications are limited due to its high toxicity. The various asymmetric methods developed for the synthesis of conhydrine are classified based on the methodology: the chiral pool method, the chiral auixiliary method, and asymmetric catalysis. A brief overview of the complete synthetic coverage of conhydrine (1948-2014) in different isomeric forms is given.