274 



Creatine, or a substance isomeric with it, might have also been 

 formed by the action of cyanate of ethyl on urea, 



CH 4 N 2 + C 3 H 5 NO=C 4 H 9 N 3 2 (?) 



Urea. Cyanate of Creatine. 



Ethyl. 



I have performed this experiment. Urea is most readily attacked 

 by cyanate of ethyl. On heating, the former dissolves hi the cyanate 

 to a clear liquid, which, when submitted for a quarter of an hour 

 in a sealed tube to a temperature of 100, is entirely changed. The 

 crystalline compound into which the liquid solidifies on cooling is no 

 longer the original urea. 



The principal product of this reaction is difficultly soluble in cold, 

 but easily soluble in boiling water. The solution in hot water de- 

 posits on cooling beautiful white scales of silky lustre, which, by an 

 additional crystallization, may be obtained in a state of perfect purity. 



On analysis, this substance was found to contain 



C 7 H 14 N 4 3 ; 



and it is thus seen that urea, instead of combining with one molecule 

 of cyanate of ethyl, as is suggested in the above equation, fixes two 

 molecules of this ether, 



CH 4 N 2 + 2C 3 H 5 NO = C 7 H 14 N 4 O 3 



Urea. Cyanate of New compound. 



Ethyl. 



The new substance is readily soluble in alcohol and ether ; it like- 

 wise dissolves in dilute acids, but not more than in water ; it is also 

 soluble in cold potash. Addition of an acid to this solution repre- 

 cipitates the original body without change ; ebullition with potash, 

 on the other hand, destroys the substance, the products of decompo- 

 sition being exactly what might be expected from a compound 

 formed by the union of urea and cyanate of ethyl, viz. ammonia, 

 ethylamine, and carbonic acid, 



C 7 H 14 N 4 3 +3H 2 = 2H 3 N + 2C 2 H 7 N + 3C0 2 . 



The formation of the new crystalline compound presents some 

 interest in revealing the diatomic character of urea, which, uniting 

 generally with one molecule of an acid, fixes in this case two 

 molecules of (ethyl- cyanic) acid. 



