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Its structure is similar to piperidine, a chemical that occurs naturally in certain pepper plants.

We find, indeed, that obstacles are gradually being cleared away, and the actual synthetic formation of such alkaloids as piperidine and coniine is a proof that the chemist is on the right track in studying the decomposition products, and building up from them, theoretically, bodies of similar constitution.

We may take piperidine and coniine as examples of the methods followed in alkaloidal synthesis; these are pyridine bases.

Pyridine has the formula C5H5N, that is, it is benzene with CH replaced by N. The relationship between these and piperidine is seen in the following formulæ: If we introduce six hydrogen atoms into pyridine, we convert it into piperidine.

Ladenburg succeeded in so hydrogenizing pyridine by acting upon an alcoholic solution with sodium, and from the base which was formed he obtained a platinochloride which agreed with the similar double salt of piperidine.