Derivatives of tryptamine are of interest not only because of the physiological activity of the parent base, but also because of the ease with which this base can be converted to substances containing the &carboline nu~ leus.~-~ Accordingly, it seemed profitable to examine the alkylation of aliphatic nitro compounds with gramine (I), a reaction which might be expected to yield nitro compounds of the type represented by 11, reducible to ...
