Abstract: The synthesis of higenamine (Ⅰ), one of the active principles of the Chinese drug Aconitum carmichali Debx, is described.The starting material vanillin was treated with benzyl chloride, followed by nitromethane to afford (Ⅲ).After reduction, condensation with p-methoxyphenylacetic acid and then cyclization (Ⅲ), was converted to (Ⅵ), from which (Ⅶ) was prepared.Finally the desired product higenamine (Ⅰ) was obtained by removal of the protective benzyl and methyl groups.