+ 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 (3a), X = Br (3b), X = COOH Keeping equimolar amounts of (3b) and brucine in ethanol/ methanol (1 : 1-1 : 2 v,'v) for some time gives a 60 % yieldC71 of a crystalline brucine salt that shows rapid mutarotation in acetone at 20.5 O C (ty2 = 200 sec; extrapolation of the specific rotation to to gives [ C C ] : ;~ = +87 O, changing to -43 O, c = 0.013 g/ml). The dextrorotatory acid can be obtained by dissolving this salt as fast as possible in acetone at -2OOCand precipitating it rapidly with 2N HCI. Solutions of (+)-(3h) in acetone racemize at +20.5 "C with a half-life period of 195 sec; [ o ( ] : : b 5 was +135" after 105 sec (extrapolated to to: [a]::k5 = +190 O, c = 0.02 g/ml). Thence the free enthalpy of activation for ring inversion of (3b) is calculated to be AG.$,, = 20.8 kcal/mole, i.e., (36) is much more mobile than comparable systems 111.