Abstract Oxidation with perbenzoic acid derivatives in neutral organic solvents of 11- desmethylellipticine (at the pyrido-N) and oxa-ellipticine afforded the corresponding N- Oxides. Thia-ellipticine afforded the sulfone N-oxide, which underwent N-deoxygenation with triphenylphosphine to yield thia-ellipticine sulfone.