INOSIC ACID. 221 



INOSIC ACID. C 10 H 6 N 2 O 10 . HO. 



Chemical Relations. 



Properties. This acid is not crystallisable ; it forms a syrupy 

 fluid, which is converted by alcohol into a solid, hard mass; it dis- 

 solves readily in water, but is insoluble in alcohol and ether ; it 

 reddens litmus strongly, possesses an agreeable taste of the juice 

 of meat, is decomposed by heating, and in part, if its solution be 

 boiled. 



Composition. According to the above formula, which Liebig,* 

 the discoverer of this acid, deduced from his analysis of the baryta- 

 salt, this acid consists of: 



Carbon lOatoms .... 32*787 



Hydrogen 6 .... 3'279 



Nitrogen 2 .... 15'300 



Oxygen .... .... 10 .... 43'716 



Water 1 .... 4'918 



lOO'OOO 



The atomic weight of the hypothetical anhydrous acid ==21 75'0, 

 and its saturating capacity =4*5 97. This acid is unquestionably 

 no simple oxide of a ternary radical, but contains certain prox- 

 imate constituents ; its products of metamorphosis have, however, 

 as yet been so little studied that we cannot even form any conjecture 

 regarding the adjunct or the peculiar acid contained in it. Liebig 

 remarks that it may be regarded as composed of 1 equivalent of 

 acetic acid, 2 equivalents of oxalic acid, and 1 equivalent of urea. 



Combinations. The alkaline inosates are soluble in water, 

 are crystallisable, and, when heated on a platinum spatula, diffuse 

 a powerful and agreeable odour of roasted meat. 



Inosate of potash, KO.C 10 H 6 N 2 O 10 + 7HO, occurs in long, 

 delicate, four-sided prisms ; on the addition of alcohol to a concen- 

 trated aqueous solution, this salt separates in fine nacreous 

 scales. 



Inosate of baryta, BaO.C 10 H 6 N 2 O 10 + 7HO, crystallises in 

 long four-sided scales of a nacreous lustre, which, when dry, have the 

 aspect of polished silver ; it effloresces readily, dissolves freely in 

 hot, very slightly in cold water, and not at all in alcohol. If a 

 solution, saturated at ?0, be heated to boiling, a part of the salt 

 is deposited in the form of a resinous mass. 



* Ann. d. Ch. u. Pharm. Bd. 62, S. 325-335. 



