CHEMISTRY OF THE PTOMAINES. 197 



that it was formed from the putrefaction of tyrosin, accord- 

 ing to the following equation : 



C 9 H ll N0 3 =C 8 H ll N + CO a + 0. 



We know that tyrosin does split up, on being heated to 

 270, into carlxmie acid and oxyphenyl-ethylamine, thus : 



C . H <82 r CH.Nir r COOH =C.H 4 /gg s CHj NHj + OQr 



In 1883 ERLENMEYKR and LIPP observed that phenyl- 

 >z-amido-propionie acid (phenyl-alanine), on dry distillation, 

 decomposed with the formation, among other products, of a 

 base having the composition C 8 H U N. This base was found 

 to l>e identical with phenvl-ethylamine, C 6 H 5 .CH r CH 2 .NH 2 , 

 and in its properties and composition it resembles NENCKI'S 

 base. Recently (1889), NENCKI has taken up a similar 

 view in regard to the nature of this base, and now regards 

 it as possessing the formula just given that it is phenyl- 

 ethylamine. He regards phenyl-amido-propionic acid one 

 of the three aromatic nuclei contained in the albumin mole- 

 cule as the source of this base. From the fact that phenyl- 

 a-amido-propionic ax-id is a well-known putrefactive product, 

 it would seem that NENCKI'S base may arise either from the 

 putrefactive decomposition of that acid, or from the splitting 

 up of the acid as a consequence of the method employed in 

 isolating the base. The latter-would seem to lx> the most 

 probable explanation of the genesis of this base, inasmuch 

 as BRIE<;KK, by using his method for the isolation of pto- 

 ma'iues, has not Urn able to obtain it from putrid gelatin. 



The PLATINOCHLORIDE, (C 8 H }l N.HCl) 2 PtCl 4 (Pt = 

 29.89 IMT <vnt.), is readily soluble in hot, and but slightly 

 soluble in cold water, and can l>e, therefore, reerystalli/.ed 

 from water. It forms l>cautiful flat needles. On dry 

 heating it gives off' an oil which possesses an odor 

 resembling very much that of xylol or cumol, and burns 

 with a smoky flame. This distinguishes NENCKI'S base 

 from collidine, since the platinoehloride of the latter does 

 not show this U-havior. 



NENCKI also obtained from putrid gelatin, under certain 



