Effect of hydroxy groups on conformational equilibrium in bis-quinolizidine systems

A review of the 99 13C NMR spectra of 72 hydroxy, methoxy or ester derivatives of alkaloids with the sparteine skeleton has been made. An improved method of determination of the conformer fractions in conformational equilibria in bis-quinolizidine compounds of sparteine type has been used to estimate the energy of the hydroxy group effect at various positions. The effect can be explained by intermolecular hydrogen bonds.