C8H17N a basic alkaloid and toxic agent of poison hemlock. A colorless liquid with a pungent odor, it dissolves readily in organic solvents; it is slightly soluble in water. Coniine occurs in all parts of plants, primarily in the fruits and seeds (up to 1 percent). It is formed in plant cells from acetic acid and lysine amino-acid radicals. The German chemist A. Ladenburg first synthesized the natural alkaloid in 1886. Coniine is a strong poison with a neuroparalytic effect.