274 Prof. Latham, On the formation of lactic acid, [May 11, 



and this combining with HON would form ethidene cyanhydrin, a 

 constituent, as I have tried to show, of albumen 



C 2 H 5 . HO + = CH 3 . CHO + H 2 



alcohol aldehyde 



CH 3 . CHO + HON = CH 3 . CH {°^ 



aldehyde ethidene cyanhydrin 



this may then be decomposed into lactic acid or undergo the other 

 changes in the tissues which I have referred to. 



But there is a further purpose it may serve. On looking at 

 the formula I have given for albumen, we see that there is still 

 another way in which the molecules can separate in this unstable 

 compound ; — the molecules of CNOH may become detached, and, 

 by the combination of the C n H 2n portion, a cyanhydrin higher in 

 the series will be formed. Now when CNOH is passed into 

 alcohol the following changes take place 



CNOH + C 2 H 5 . HO = CO {qJ? Jj 



cyanic acid alcohol urethane 



urethane or ethylic carbamate is formed, and this combined with 

 NH 3 will give urea*. 



(NH 2 (NH 2 



CO-^ +NH 8 = CO-l +C 2 H 5 .HO 



(OC 2 H 5 (NH 2 



urethane urea alcohol. 



But another substance is also formed — allophanic ether 



(NH 2 

 CCH 

 2CNOH + C.H. . HO = NH 



CO J 



(OC 2 H 5 

 allophanic ether. 



This by alkalis may be transformed into a salt of the base and 

 alcohol. 



(NH 2 f NH„ 



CO \ CO \ 



NH + NaHO = C H 5 . HO + NH 



CO J soda alcohol CO J 



iOC 2 H 5 (ONa. 



allophanic sodium 



.ether allophanate 



* Fownes, Organic Chemistry, 1877, p. 390. 



