Racemic form of laurotetanine (II), an aporphine-type secondary phenolic base contained in Litsea citrata BL. (Lauraceae), was prepared and its N-methylation afforded dl-N-methyllaurotetanine (I). During Pschorr's phenanthrene cyclization, dl-1-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzyl)-6, 7-dimethoxy-1, 2, 3, 4-tetrahydroisoquinoline (III) was obtained as a by-product.