108 Scientific Intelligence. 



have given the name of carbothialdine. When pure aldehyde-ammonia 

 is dissolved in aicohol and sulphuret of carbon added, the mixture loses 

 its alkaline reaction, becomes warm, and in a few minutes deposits 

 shining while crystals, which when washed with alcohol are pure carbo- 

 thialdine. It is nearly insoluble in water, and cold ether and alcohol, 

 but dissolves in boiling alcohol, and is deposited on cooling without 

 change. When oxalic acid and ether are added to the solution, an 

 oxalate of carbothialdine is deposited in slender white needles. The 

 new base dissolves in muriatic acid and forms a hydrochlorate, which 

 is slowly decomposed at the ordinary temperature, and by boiling, 

 is resolved into sulphuret of carbon, chlorid of ammonium and al- 

 dehyde. 



The formula deduced from analysis is C 5 H 5 NS 2 , and it is derived 



from the elements of one equivalent of aldehyde-ammonia, and one of 

 bisulphuret of carbon, by the abstraction of the elements of two equiva- 

 lents of water. 



[This new alkaloid is isomeric with pyrotartaramid, which is a ho- 

 mologue of oxamid, but the results of decomposition by acids show that 

 in constitution it is not allied to the py rota rt rates.] T. S. H. 



4. On the action of Chlorine upon Benzoate of Potash ; by E. St. 

 Evre, (Chem. Gazette, April 15th, 1848; from Compt. Rendus, vol. 

 xxv, p. 912.) — When chlorine gas is passed into a strong alkaline 

 solution of benzoate of potash, an abundant disengagement of carbonic 

 acid gas takes place after some time, with the formation of chlorid of 

 potassium, indicating a partial oxydation of the benzoate. The result 

 of this is a new acid which is separated from the potash salt by sul- 

 phuric acid ; it is volatile and crystallizable, and fuses between 176° 

 and 182°. Its analysis, with that of its silver salt, lead to the formula 



C 12 H 5 CI0 4 orC 6 (H 5 CI)0 2 in M. Gerhardt's notation, evidently 

 corresponding to a normal species C 6 H 6 2 , which differs from phe- 

 nol (carbolic acid) as acids do from aldehydes, by one equivalent of 

 oxygen ; this unknown species the author has designated as phenic 

 acid, and the present compound is mono-chlorophenic acid. Like the 

 analogous monobasic crysiallizable acids containing 2 , it should yield 

 by the action of caustic alkalies a hydrocarbon phevylene. 



M. St. Evre has obtained the mono-chlorinized species, C 5 (H 5 CI). 

 This by the action of nitric acid affords a nitric species C 5 ( H 4 CI N0 2 ), 

 which by the action of hydrosulphuret of ammonia is converted into a 

 chlorinized alkaloid C 5 (H 6 CI)N which corresponds to nicotine. If 

 then we could by the action of an amalgam of potassium upon chloro- 

 phenic acid obtain the normal compounds, it would enable us to form 



nicotine artificially. 



T. S. H. 



5. On the identity of Picric, Nitrophenisic and Chrysolepic Acids, 

 (Jour, de Pharmacie, Oct. 1, 1848, p. 318.) — This long disputed ques- 

 tion has at last been settled by Prof. Marchand, by the careful exam- 

 ination of their salts as well as a crystallographic examination of the 

 crystals of chrysolepic and picric acids, which Mitscherlich has shown 

 to be identical in form. These results are further confirmed by the 

 conclusion of M. E. Robiquet, deduced from the study of their lead- 

 salts. T. S. H. 



