A. Schlieper on the Oxydation of Urie Acid, §e. 363 
is probably wanting in our series, and possibly some pies inter- 
vening deposits not yet made out, a sufficient tim 
elapsed between the deposition of the two groups, i furnish a 
Loner explanation of the pemarkable ghange of conditions they 
man 
Art. XXXV.—On the Orydation of Uric Acid by means 
of Potassa and Ferridcyanid of Potassium; by Avorn — 
ScHLIEPER. 
ALTHovGH a great many products of the decomposition of uric 
acid have been discovered during the last ten years, yet they 
and nitric acid on uric acid has been investigated by Liebig and 
Wohler in a masterly manner.* I have already demonstrated the 
formation of alloxan and urea from uric acid, by the action of 
chlorate of potassa and hydrochloric acid. With these excep- 
tions, the influence of no other oxydating body on uric acid, has 
ever been the subject of an original investigation. For these 
reasons it seemed to me interesting, to study the oxydation of uric 
acid in an alkaline solution, because its decomposition, effected 
altogether by a new mode, might throw light on many points, 
still emigmatical, in the constitution of the products of the de- 
composition of uric aci 
A notice from Mercer, i in regard to the bleaching of cotton cloth 
dyed indigo-blue, by means of a solution of caustic potash an 
ferridcyanid of potassium, suggested to me the idea of applying 
the same mode of oxydation to uric acid; but in doing so, I found 
it exceedingly difficult, to separate the resulting salts of potash i in 
such a way, that the newly generated and so easily decomposable 
products of uric acid should remain unchanged 
It is well known that one equivalent of ferridcyanid of potas- 
sium with one equivalent of potash are decomposed in presence 
of oxydizible substances, in such a manner, that the red prussiate 
of potash takes up one equivalent of potassium, forming with it 
two equivalents of ferrideyanid of potassium, during which the 
oxygen of the potassa set free combines with the oxydizible 
body. 
Ferridcyanid of potassium 3KCy+Fe, Cy, a CY, 
+Cy with potassa (K +0) = two equivalents of prussiate of 
potossa = 4KCy+Fe, Cy_, and one oe of oxygen. 
* Annalen der Chemie und Pharmacie, Band 26, p. 241. 
