JOURNAL 



OF THE 



WASHINGTON ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



Vol. 9 OCTOBER 19, 19 19 No. 17 



CRYSTALLOGRAPHY.— r/i^ crystallography of morphine and 

 certain of its derivatives. Edgar T. Wherry and Elias 

 Yanovsky, Bureau of Chemistry. 



Optical-crystallographic methods having proved to be of prac- 

 tical value in the identification of the cinchona alkaloids,^ atten- 

 tion was directed by the writers to another group of alkaloids, 

 namely, morphine and its derivatives, to ascertain if similar 

 methods could be applied there. Commercial samples were 

 purified (by the jilnior author) as described below, and crystal- 

 lographic measurements were made to establish their identity 

 with previously described material. On trying these substances 

 by the immersion method under the polarizing microscope it 

 was found that they dissolved so rapidly in every immersion 

 liquid approaching them in refractive index that their identifica- 

 tion by this method would be impracticable. It is probable 

 that some of their salts, such as the hydrochlorides, being less 

 readily soluble, would be' better adapted for optical-crystal- 

 lographic identification, and it is planned to prepare and study 

 these compounds, although the withdrawal of the junior author from 

 the Bureau of Chemistry has led to delay in carrying this out. 

 The results of the crystallographic measurements of the alkaloids 

 are, however, of considerable scientific interest, and this account 

 of them has accordingly been prepared. 



^ Journ. Amer. Chem. Soc. 40: 1063. 1918. 



505 



