<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>An alcoholic extract of <jats:italic>Dalbergia sympathetica</jats:italic>, on column chromatography, yielded a compound which analyzed for C<jats:sub>6</jats:sub>H<jats:sub>11</jats:sub>NO<jats:sub>3</jats:sub> (M<jats:sup>+</jats:sup> 145). The IR spectrum of the compound showed the presence of carbonyl and hydroxyl groups. PMR, <jats:sup>13</jats:sup>C and DEPT NMR spectral studies of the compound showed the presence of one <jats:italic>N</jats:italic>‐methyl, two methine and two methylene groups. A quaternary carbon signal at δ 172.88 ppm was assigned to C‐2 carbonyl of the compound. From all the above observations and also from the HMQC 2D NMR spectrum, the compound was identified as 3, 6‐dihydroxy‐<jats:italic>N</jats:italic>‐methyl‐2‐piperidone. This is the first report of the natural occurrence of this compound from plant sources. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.