78 ELECTROLYSIS AND ELECTROS YN THESIS 



oxycarboxylic acids in sulphuric acid solution, by the 

 use of ammonium persulphate or by electrolysis. A 

 whole series of acids have been investigated: m-dioxy- 

 benzoic acid, gallic acid, tannin, the ethyl ester of gallic 

 acid, gallamide ((OH) s C 8 H a CO.NH 2 ), o-, m-, and 

 p-oxy-benzoic acids, cresotinic acid, etc. 



7. Electrolysis of Alkaloids. 1 



Caffeine, Theine, C 8 H ]0 N 4 O 2 . On permitting the 

 electric current to act for several days on a solution 

 of caffeine acidified with sulphuric acid Pommerehne * 

 obtained amalic acid, formic acid, ammonia, and 

 methylamine. 



Atropine, C 1T H 23 NO 3 . From the neutral sulphate of 

 atropine crystallized atropine is gradually precipitated 

 at the cathode, while at the anode carbon dioxide, 

 carbon monoxide, oxygen, and nitrogen are evolved. 

 The acid sulphate behaves in a similar manner, but 

 the evolution of nitrogen was not observed. 



Opium. If opium is subjected to the action of the 

 electric current the acid goes to the cathode and the 

 base to the anode. Thus meconic acid (oxy-pyrone- 

 dicarboxylic acid) was found at the positive pole and 

 morphine (C 17 H 17 NO(OH) 2 ) at the negative pole. 



1 Donate Tommasi: Trait6 d'Electrochimie, Th6orique et Prac- 

 tique, Part 4, 788. 



2 Arch. f. Pharm., 235, 364. 



