DICTIOXAUV OF TME ACTIVE PIUNCIPLES OF PLANTS. 



43 



[No pp. Cadmium-potassic iodide nor metallic salts generally.] 

 Colour tests : Concentrated sulphuric acid, deep red. 



Nitric acid, liijht red. 



Frolide's solution, after lialE-hour, cherry ; later, nut colour 

 (Dragendoiif). 

 (h) COLOCYNTHEIN G.-deriv. Obtained from (a) by treatment with acids. 

 (r) COLOCYNTHITIN. Microscopic rhombic prisms ; not bitter. 

 Soluble in hot alcohol and ether ; not in water or cold alcohol (Walz). 



§ 7.'i. CONIUM macnlatnm (spotted hemlock) the alkaloids («) to (e) ; 

 Cicuta virosa (water hemlock, cowbane) the substances (a) and (/) ; 

 Umhellifi-nr. 



(a) CONIINE A. (Cnnicine, Cicutine, Alpha-propyl piperidine), CgHiyN 

 or C5H,„(C:,Hj)N. Colourless liquid, disagreeable odour ; B.P. variously 

 given 1;jU°-180^-j!18° (?). Volatile in vapour of alcohol or water, and some- 

 what at ordinary temperatures. Alkaline reaction, burtjing taste ; dextro- 

 rotatory [a]D = -J-13'8 ; specific giavity 0'878 to 0880. Hydrochloride 

 crystalline ; causes dilation of the pupil ; very poisonous ; salts lose 

 Ciiniine on evaporation. 



Soluble in 100 parts cold water (cloud on warming), in all proportions 

 in alcohul, in li parts ether ; also in chloroform, benzene, petroleum 

 ether, aniyl alcohol, acetone, and ethereal oils ; with difficulty in carbon 

 bisulphide. 



Removed from alkaline solutions by immiscible solvents, including 

 petroleum ether. 

 Precipitants : [Not alkaline hydrates. 

 Not ammonia. 

 ,, sodium acetate. 

 ,, lead acetate neutral.] 

 Tannic acid, yellowish whitfi. 

 [Picric acid, not at 1 in 1,000.] 

 [Not platinum chloride.] 

 Gold chloride, cloud at 1 in 300. 

 Copper sulphate. 



[Chromic acid produces butyric acid recognisable by odour.] 

 Phosphomolybdic acid, yellow, 1 in 1,000. Blue with ammonia, 

 lodo-potassic iodide, kermes coloured pp. ; distinct at 1 in 8,000. 

 Bismuth-potassic iodide, yellow 1 in '2,000 ; limit 1 in (i.OOO. 

 Cadmium-potassic iodide, 1 in 200 cloud ; (? 1 in 10,000, DragendorfE). 

 [Not zinc-potassic iodide.] 



Mercuric- potassic iodide 1 in 800, white amorphous adherent like 



resin ; characteristic, but nicotine similar. 

 Mercuric chloride, white amorphous (not in very dilute solutions). 



[The Nicotine pp. is crystalline.] 

 Free Coniine precipitates mercury, silver, lead, copper, tin, iron, 



manganese, and zinc oxides from solutions of their salts. 

 Albumen coagulated, distinction from nicotine and solid alkaloids 



('test valueless.' DragendorfJ). 



Colour tests (mostly negative): 



Cuncenuat.d sulphuric acid i no effect except after 



" ^!^^ ^"g'"- . , standing. 

 „ „ „ with nunc acid ) ° 



Fuming nitric acid, bluish-v^-orange. 



Dry hydrochloric acid gas, purplb-red'>~indigo. 



Concentrated hydrochloiic acid (solution), no effect or pale red. 



Frcihde's solution, no effect. 



Coniine salts on exposure become gradually red^^-violet'vvgreeno^blue. 



(h) CONHYDRINE A., CgH^NO. Separates out from commercial Coniine 



by cooling to b" C. Crystalline pearly plates ; M.P. I'^OG" ; B.P. 220°, 



part sublimes at 100° ; volatile without decomposition ; dextro-rotatory, 



powerfully alkaline (displaces ammonia from its salts). Odour faintly 



Coniine-like ; feebly narcotic. 



Soluble in water, very readily in alcohol and ether, sparingly in 



petroleum ether, by which, however, it may be removed from alkaline 



solutions. 



Precipitants, etc. : [Not alkaline hydrates. 



Not ammonia. 



„ lead acetate neutral.] 



T J ' • • j-j I pp. from more dilnte solutions than is 



lodo-potassic iodide )• "^ ^i -.u /. 



-K, ^ ■ . ■ ■ J- T 1 the case with Louiiue. 

 Mercurie-potassic iodide j 



Not attacked by cold fuming nitric acid. 



(f) PSEUDO-CONHYDRINE A., CjHj^NO (Merck). Ciys. needles ; M.P. 

 about W C. ; B.P. 22',.°-231° ; volatile. 



Soluble in alcohol, ether, and chloroform. 



((/) METHYL-CONIWE A., C„Hi;N. Accompanies Coniine in hemlock ; 

 volatile, oily, lighter than water, odour Coniine-like. 



(f) ETHYL-PIPERIDINE A., C;Hj5N, occuis with Coniine. Volatile 

 liquid, lighter than water. 



