276 M. Hlasiwetz on Phloretine. 
Between these acids and glycocol, leucine, &c., there are 
strong analogies, although we are not exactly able to state what 
is their rational constitution. It would be interesting to try 
whether cyanetholine* could be transformed into alanine by 
the simple fixation of water. The mode of production of beth 
these substances has great analogies. 
C*H*0? + C?NH + 2HO = C°H’NO* 
Aldehyde. Hydrocyanic acid. Alanine. 
CAE NaO?-¢ °C* NCI =~ C° He NO*. 
Cyaneetholine. 
In an investigation of phloretine, Hlasiwetz+ had assigned to 
this substance the formula C°°H'O!°, and considered it as 
composed of monobasic phloretic acid, C'’ H!! 0%, and phloro- 
glucine, C!? H*O®. This view he has now had reason to alter { : 
phloretic acid is bibasic, and has the formula C'* H'!O®; and 
instead of belonging to the group of lichen acids, belongs to the 
salicylic acid group, and is homologous with that acid. The 
salts of phloretie acid which he had previously described were 
acid salts, and he has now prepared and described a series of 
neutral salts which are obtained in the same way as the corre- 
sponding neutral salicylates. 
Phloretate of ethyle, oe ies O°, is obtained by the action of 
iodide of zthyle on phloretate of silver or potash. It is a colour- 
less viscous liquid, whose boiling-point is higher than 265°, has 
a weak odour and an irritating taste. Its optical properties 
were compared with those of salicylic «ther prepared by the 
same method. Both substances have exactly the same refrangi- 
bility for one ray of the orange, but in general the dispersion of 
salicylic ether is greater than that of phloretic ether. By the 
action of nitric acid on this compound, binitrophloretic ether, 
C8 H7 (NO4)205, . 
C+H> O HS is produced. 
18 }]7 4)2 (8 
Binitrophloretic acid, Si he ) . } , is formed by the 
action of nitric acid on phloretic acid, and occurs in two modifi- 
cations, according to the degree of concentration of the nitric 
acid used in its preparation. When concentrated acid is used, 
violent action ensues, nitrous fumes are evolved, and the acid 
dissolves up to a red liquid, which on cooling becomes filled 
with yellow granular crystals. On recrystallization they are 
* Vide ante, p. 273. + Phil. Mag. March 1856. 
+ Liebig’s Annalen, May 1857. 
