SYNTHETICAL KESEAECHES ON ACIDS OF THE LACTIC SERIES. 353 



fCH. (,"■" + H,0 + HCl = (CMeH(NHJ ,, 



IC0(NH,) H ' ICOHo ' 



Ammonic • Hydrocyanic Lactamic acid (alanin). 



aldehyde. acid. 



rCMeH(NH,) j^.ojj^ = (CMeHHo 



ICOHo . ^ ICOHo T^ 2 -r 2 



Lactamic acid (alanin). Nitrous add. Lactic acid. 



Not the least interesting reaction illustrative of the constitution of lactic acid, is the 

 formation of this acid by the action of nascent hydrogen upon pyruvic acid, recently 



described by Wislicbnus *. 



fCMeO , H _ fCMeHHo 

 ICOHo ^ (CO Ho 



Pyruvic acid. Lactic acid. 



By an analogous reaction, glyoxylic acid, which we regard as the next lower homo- 

 logue of pyruvic acid, has been transformed by DEBUsf into glycollic acid. 



rCHO , H _ fCHjHo 

 ICOHo ^ ICOHo * 



Glyoxylic acid. Glycollic acid. 



In a similar manner it can be demonstrated that the above formula No. 2 expresses 

 the constitution of paralactic acid, which belongs to the fifth or olefine division 



rCRHHo 



of these acids \ , or < (C Hg)™ . That paralactic acid possesses this 



l(CH2)„(COHo) [cOHo 



constitution is proved, first, by its production from cyanhydric glycol, 



fCTf Ho fCHgHo 



LCH^CCN) j^^^^^ 



Cyanhydric Potassic 



glycol. paralactate. 



and secondly, by its formation from phosgene gas and ethylene, 

 rCH^ j^Q^, ^ fCH^Cl 



ICH2 ^ ICHaCCOCl)' 



Ethylene. Phosgene. Chloride of 



/3 chlorpropionyl. 



ICH^CCOCl)^ lCH2(COKo)^ ' 



Chloride of Potassic 



/3 chlorpropionyl. paralactate. 



By the action of water upon the chloride of /3 chlorpropionyl, a body of the compo- 

 sition of chloropropionic acid results ; but inasmuch as this body yields paralactic acid by 

 ebullition with potash, whilst chloropropionic acid gives under the same circumstances 

 * Ann. der Chem. und Pharm. Bd. cxxvi. S. 225. t ^d. Bd. cxxviL 8. 146. 



