Dr. Blyth on the Composition of Narcotine. 377 



Produce. 



1 equiv. of narcotine = C4g Hgj N O14 



1 equiv. of cotarnin =C25Hj3N Og 



1 equiv. of carbonic acid . . . . =C Og 



^72 "38 ^2 ^22 



A comparison of the formula of narcotine deduced from 

 direct analysis, and of its products of decomposition, show a 

 very simple relation. 



By the employment of a large excess of bichloride of plati- 

 num, the products obtained are cotarnin, opianic acid, car- 

 bonic acid and water. Along with these also is found the 

 almost constantly accompanying hemipinic acid, derived from 

 the further oxidation of the opianic. 



1 equiv. of narcotine . . . =C4gH25NOi4 

 + 7 equiv. of oxygen . . . = O 7 



Produce. 



1 equiv. of cotarnin . . . =€25 Hjg N O g 



I equiv. of opianic acid . . = C20 H 9 O^^ 



1 equiv. of carbonic acid . =C Og 



3 equiv. of water . . . . = H3 O3 



The further oxidation of opianic acid gives from 



1 equiv. of anhydrous opianic acid . = Cg^ Hg O9 

 + 1 equiv. of oxygen = O 



2 equiv. of anhydrous hemipinic acid =C2o Hg Ojo 

 To prove the disengagement of carbonic acid, the oxidation 

 by bichloride of platinum was conducted in an atmosphere of 

 hydrogen. The amount obtained, though quite conclusive of 

 the fact of its evolution, was not large, being according to 

 theory only one equivalent in 46. 



If only a very small excess of bichloride of platinum is em- 

 ployed, the decomposition of narcotine does not proceed so far. 

 The principal product is now platinchloride of narcogenin, 

 accompanied by smaller quantities of opianic and hemipinic 

 acid. Traces of platinchloride of cotarnin are also observed. 

 2 equiv. of narcotine . . 

 + 5 equiv. of oxygen . . . 



Produce, 



2 equiv. of narcogenin . . 

 1 equiv. of opianic acid 



3 equiv. of water . . . 



