The configuration of β-eucaine and β-isoeucaine

Abstract
The configurations of the two isomers, β-eucaine (benzamine hydrochloride B.P.C. 1954) and β-isoeucaine have been deduced. As a result of a study of the nuclear magnetic resonance spectra and of catalytic hydrogenation and oxidation, the α-form has been assigned an equatorial hydroxyl group on C-4 and the β-form an axial hydroxyl group in this position.