Abstract
Gardneramine, the main alkaloid of Gardneria spp. (Loganiaceae), was found to have the structure I. At the same time a minor base, alkaloid G, was elucidated to be 18-demethylgardneramine (XVIII). Both alkaloids have an iminoether ring as the masked oxindole, some novel reactivities of which are described. Three trimethoxy oxindoles (XXXII a, b, c) were synthesized as the model compounds for locating the aromatic substituents of I.