for producing sinomenine derivatives these sinomenine derivatives may be more specific more efficacious and or more potent than sinomenine additionally these sinomenine derivatives may have fewer side effects than sinomenine the sinomenine derivatives and intermediates that may be used to make sinomenine derivatives generally comprise formula i ia ib and ic as described below in one embodiment of the invention the sinomenine derivative comprises formula i r 1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbyl and substituted hydrocarbyl r 2 and r 3 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen halogen oh nh 2 cn hydrocarbyl and substituted hydrocarbyl r 4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen halogen nh 2 cn hydrocarbyl substituted hydrocarbyl and or 4a r 4a is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and a bond that forms part of an ether containing ring r 5 and r 6 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen oh nh 2 sh hydrocarbyl and substituted hydrocarbyl wherein r 5 and r 6 together may form a group selected from the group consisting of u2550 o u2550 noh u2550 s u2550 chr 5a and u2014 o ch 2 2 o u2014 r 5a is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen halogen hydrocarbyl and substituted hydrocarbyl r 7 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and or 7a r 7a is selected from the.