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Fair to moderate yields of insertion products of dichloro- and dibromo- carbenes can be achieved from aqueous reaction mixtures using the phase transfer method. Insertions are very selective; benzylic, tertiary C-H bonds of hydrocarbons and α-C-H bonds of ethers are particularly reactive. The convenience of this method makes it potentially attractive for certain synthetic applications.

Two new alkaloids designated as pteropodine and isopteropodine have been isolated from Uncaria pteropoda and characterised. They are stereoisomeric with mitraphylline and uncarine-A and -B and have been shown to have the same structure as these alkaloids on the basis of structural and degradative evidence.

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Four new bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids were obtained from Albertisia cf. A. papuana Becc. (Menispermaceae). These are (−)-2,2′-bisnorphaeanthine (5), (+)-pangkoramine (7), (+)-pangkorimine (9), and (+)-2′-norcocsuline (14). They are accompanied by the known (+)-daphnoline (2), which is the main alkaloid, and by seven known dimers with one, two, or three ether bridges.