Nitration of colchiceine under mild conditions gave a nitro compound which was reduced to the corresponding amine. The amine rearranged to a hydroxycarboxylic acid on treatment with nitrous acid, in the presence of hypophosphorus acid. Hydrogenation of colchicine in benzene using Adams catalyst gave mainly a desmethoxyhexahydrocolchicine isomer, mp 174-175'.
