The toxic alkaloids of Erythrophleum species have attracted chemists since 1676, and they are generally esters or amides of N-methylethanolamines with diterpene or cinnamic acids. A preliminary communication proposed new alkaloids from E. ivorense as N,N-dimethylaminomethanol esters (structures 1 and 2), but the authors repeated the preparation of this ester and found its properties differ from those reported by Schultz and Hoenicke—Schultz's data (ester carbonyl frequency 1610 cm⁻¹, two dimethylamino signals at δ 3.00 p.p.m.) are consistent with an amide structure, while the authors' synthesized normal ester has a carbonyl band at 1719 cm⁻¹, a six-proton singlet for dimethylamino group at δ 2.45, and a two-proton singlet at δ 4.97, making structures 1 and 2 untenable. The authors suggest the alkaloids are amides of N-methylethanolamine, i.e., the known cassamide (3) and erythrophlamide (4), supported by: carbonyl bands at 1610 cm⁻¹ matching erythrophlamide; NMR spectra showing amide N-methyl signals (centred at δ 3.07) instead of N,N-dimethylethanolamine ester signals; and mass spectra with M-74 and M-75 peaks corresponding to those of the alkaloids. Additionally, the authors argue these amides are probably artefacts, as fresh extracts of E. chlorostachys before alkali treatment contain only the corresponding amines, with amides in undetectably low concentrations.