440 OPIUM BASES. 



being allowed to cool, it is precipitated by means of 

 potassa. Colorless, stellate prisms; soluble in boiling 

 water, in alcohol and ammonia, but not in potassa ; 

 fuses at 100. Monatomic base. When boiled with 

 very dilute nitric acid, it is converted into cotarnic 

 acid, C n H 12 5 , and a substance forming good crystals, 

 apophyllic add, C 8 H 7 N0 4 . At the same time methyl- 

 amine nitrate is formed. 



3. Codeine, C 18 H 2r N0 3 . Crystallizes, anhydrous in 

 octahedrons, or, with one molecule of water of crystal- 

 lization, in rhombic crystals. Fuses at 150. Easily 

 soluble in hot water, alcohol, and ether; less soluble in 

 cold water (80 parts), insoluble in potassa, soluble in 

 ammonia. "When heated from twelve to fifteen hours 

 with concentrated hydrochloric acid, under a layer of 

 paraffin over a water bath, it yields chlorocodide hydro- 

 chlorate, C 18 H 20 C1N0 2 .HC1, from which, by means of 

 sodium bicarbonate, the chlorinated base may be pre- 

 cipitated in the form of a white powder; easily soluble 

 in alcohol and ether. When the hydrochlorate is 

 heated with water at 130-140, it is resolved into 

 codeine hydrochlorate. If, on the other hand, codeine 

 or chlorocodide hydrochlorate be heated with concen- 

 trated hydrochloric acid at 140-150, they are both 

 broken up, yielding methyl chloride and apomorphine 

 hydrochlorate (p. 439). 



4. Thebaine, C 19 H 21 E~0 3 . Quadratic plates, of a 

 silvery lustre; insoluble in water, potassa, and am- 

 monia. Easily soluble in alcohol and ether. Soluble 

 in concentrated sulphuric acid, the solution being 

 deep-red. Its salts can only with difficulty be obtained 

 in a crystalline form from water, as they decompose, 

 when their solutions are evaporated. Exceedingly 

 poisonous. When boiled with hydrochloric acid, it is 

 converted into an isomeric base, thebenine, which is 

 amorphous, absorbs oxygen from the air, especially in 

 the presence of alkalies, and yields salts that crystal- 

 lize well. 



