A Novel Synthetic Route for Berberine Chloride

Abstract

Berberine chloride was synthesized starting from pyrocatechol in overall 13.6% yield. The key steps include a Hofmann rearrangement, chloromethylation, nucleophilic substitution, hydrolysis, decarboxylation, and cyclization. All of intermediates were determined by 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, MS techniques.