RS 
NT FS ee eo ee 
W. Gibbs on the Constitution of Organic Compounds. 37 
The formulas which I have given for malic acid lead to the 
conclusion that asparagin, CsHsNaQz, is referable to the type 
of two equivalents of oxyd of amiieibern: and it may have the 
rational formula C+H20s ° 
i ot | , 
Hi 
By the action of nitrous acid asparagin becomes 
which immediately splits into one equivalent of malic acid and 
two of water. Aspartic acid may also be reduced to the type 
of six equivalents of water, if, as is certainly admissible, we 
Suppose NH: to replace H, so that we have as the rational 
formula 
CsH204 
O2H 
C2H }0s, 
NHe2 
On the other hand this view does not account for the basic prop- 
érties of aspartic acid which, as is well known, forms definite 
compounds with the stronger acids. We meet here with the 
Same difficulty which occurs in formulating benzamic acid and 
many other similar bodies. 
Tartaric acid.—The researches of Dessaignes have shown that 
glyoxal is a product of the oxydation of tartaric by nitric a d, 
and the facility with which oxydizing agents convert tartaric 
acid into formic and carbonic acids has lon been known. By 
fusion with caustic potash tartaric acid yields acetic, oxalic, for- 
Siven off: this gas appears to be only an impure hydrogen. If 
We regard tartaric acid as bibasic I suggest that its rational 
; yeh 
© 
oH ¢ % 
He 
Which places its relation to malic acid in the clearest light, and 
at the same time accounts for the facility with which it is decom- 
Posed, and for the products of its decomposition. Our knowl- 
edge of the modes o decomposition of pyrouvie and pyrotartaric 
acids is not sufficiently complete to permit us to form any idea 
of their rational constitution. algae : 
rie acid—The combinations of citric acid with ethyl and 
methyl] conclusively show that this acid is tribasic and that its 
