be ae -'F = 2 
os 
W. Gibbs on the Constitution of Organic Compounds. 27 
_ Itis clear that alanin, sarcosin — ese some hem will yield 
an indefinitely great number of new acids, of which one series 
will contain nitrogen, the sha ae 
The almost perfect analogy between alanin and glycosin justi- 
fies the inference that the internal molecular structure of these 
two bodies is the same. _ the formula of alanin Bios is assumed 
hon two radicals are in alanin so fused together as to constitute 
a single a -atomic radical, CeHsO2, homologous with the glycolic 
radical, C1H2Oz. In this case the formulas of glycosin an 
alanin will be 
Glycosin,  N | ae ' 0+HO. 
Alanin, MET t O-+HO. 
Upon this view the rational formulas of glycolic and lactic acids 
become 
see Or ad ie 01. 
The decision of the question obviously turns upon the molecular 
structure of the radical C1H2Oz. Isthis diatomic and indivisible, 
or is it a de radical C2H.C2HO:? a the other hand 
The rational formulas which I have jh eee to 
Tycosin and sion appear, in ths a. state of our knowl- 
‘upon my view becomes 
0+HO, 
and the products of its decomposition bear out the theory com- 
‘ate. Limpricht* has prepared leucin from valeric a dehyd 
y a process exactly similar to that employed by Strecker in the 
formation of alanin. From this it follows that leucin is consti- 
tuted, so far as the character of the radicals is concerned, 
* Ann. der Chemie und Pharmacie, xciv, 243, 
