(-)-delta-N-normethylskytanthine from Tecoma arequipensis.

Bark of Tecoma arequipensis yielded the major alkaloidal component (-)-delta-N-normethylskytanthine whose structure was proven by X-ray diffraction analysis of the N-thiourea derivative. The stereochemistry of 1 at all four centers was enantiomeric with that of skytanthine previously reported from Tecoma stans and Skytanthus acutus. Gc-ms of the crude base fraction indicated the presence of several related alkaloids as very minor constituents.