7 



Es 3 
AND SOME OF ITS DERIVATIVES. 409 
Meconamidic Acid. 
When ethylomeconic acid is dissolved in warm water or alcohol, and an excess 
of strong aqueous or alcoholic solution of ammonia is added, the fluid assumes a 
deep yellow colour, and becomes very soon filled with a yellow semi-gelatinous- 
looking substance, which after being washed with dilute spirit, dries up in the air 
to an amorphous mass, which powders with some difficulty to a very fine yellow 
powder. This substance, when dissolved in hot water, smells of ammonia, and 
the solution gives, with dilute fixed alkalies, abundant evidence of its contain- 
ing this body as a base. I was at first of the opinion that it was the neutral 
salt of an amide acid corresponding to ethylomeconic acid, and formed from it 
in the manner characteristic of the action of ammonia in these cases, in which 
one atom takes the place of an equivalent of alcohol. Upon submitting it to 
analysis, however, I found this not to be the case; and it appears to me to be 
the result of a complicated decomposition, which is, so far as I am aware, without 
analogy. Upon adding to its solution in hot water some hydrochloric acid, a 
white precipitate is obtained, which I presume to be the acid of the compound. 
I will first give its analysis, and the formula I deduce from it, to render more 
clear the only constitution I can assign to these two bodies. The following ana- 
lyses were performed on specimens of different preparations, the acid was recrys- 
tallised from boiling water, it then appeared as a white crystalline crust or 
rind : 
5-972 grains, dried at 212°, gave 
8-700 ... carbonic acid, and 
I. { 1-775... water. 
5623 .., dried at 212°, gave, when burnt with soda lime, 
7020 ... platinum salt of ammonia. 
5°884 grains, dried at 212°, gave 
8-555 ... carbonic acid, and 
II. (1°760 ... water. 
5655 ... dried at 212°, gave, with soda lime, 
7-250 ... platinum salt. 
5-205 grains, dried at 212°, gave 
III. < 7:540 ... carbonic acid, and 
1530 ... water. 
Iv 7°925 grains, dried at 212°, gave, with soda lime, 
* | 9-728 ... platinum salt. 
Mean. Calculation. 
2 eee 
ig Il. III. IV. 
Carbon, . 39-73 39°65 39°50 be 39-62 39°84 C,, 504 
Hydroven,. 3:30 332 326 ..., 329 308 4H, 39 
Oxygen, . se Ae nae ase aH 49°34 O,, 624 
Nitrogen, . 7-84 8-05 a 7°70 7-86 (14 20N,° (98 
10000 100-00 100-00 100:00 100-00 100-00 1265 
VOL. XX. PART III. 58 
