274 M. Schwanert on Leucine. 
and forms a brown, inodorous, thick solution, which, when 
heated to 100° C., evolves carbonic and sulphurous acid. By - 
mixing this solution with water, and submitting the liquid to 
distillation, the aldehyde of valerianie acid, C!°H!°O?, was 
obtained. 
By the action of chlorine on an aqueous solution of leucine, a 
reddish-yellow oily liquid distils over, which after purification 
and analysis proved to be valeronitrile, C!© H9 N, mixed with a 
small quantity of chlorvaleronitrile, C!? HSCIN. A yellow acid 
liquor remains in the retort, from which crystalline scales 
deposit : these on recrystallization proved to be a compound of 
leucine with hydrochloric acid, 2(C!* H!8 NO*), HCl. Similar 
compounds of glycocoll and alanine are known. The products 
of the action of chlorine on leucine are the same whether water 
be present or not: the leucine is decomposed into carbonic acid, 
valeronitrile and hydrogen ; the latter forms with chlorine hydro- 
chloric acid, which combines with a portion of undecomposed 
leucine, while the chlorine acts upon the valeronitrile and forms 
a substitution product. Bromine has the same action upon 
leucine. By the action of iodide of ethyle upon leucine no 
hydrogen is substituted. 
These decompositions make it probable that leucine may have 
the same composition as anthranilic or carbanilic acid. The 
decomposition by heat is in both cases quite analogous: leucine 
gives amylamine and carbonic acid; anthranilie acid gives ani- 
line and carbonic acid. Leucine would hence be amylcarbamic 
acid,— 
12 F138 NO4— 10 FJ.11) (C2 02 
OF H®NO'=N(C#H")(C*O I oe aco. COHN 
Leucine. Amylearbamice acid. Amylamine. 
147 NO4 = 12 #15) (C2 Q2 
pare Gee Ag Pee ap a 1 }O?=2C0?+ C2 HEN, 
Anthranilic acid. Carbanilie acid. Aniline. 
Leucine and anthranilic acid yield, when treated with nitrous 
acid, leucic acid and salicylic acid; both are corresponding 
members of different series. From this point of view Schwanert 
hoped to obtain the sulphamylaminic acid corresponding to sul- 
phanilic acid, by treating leucine with sulphuric acid: this ex- 
pectation was not fulfilled; a further decomposition appeared to 
set in. But the products of decomposition, valeraldehyde, car- 
bonic and sulphuric acids and ammonia, may, however, be de- 
duced from that formula without forcing the interpretation. 
Kubel* has found a support for this view of the constitution 
* Liebig’s Annalen, May 1857. 
