H. B. Hill—-Ethers of Uric Acid. 429 
fering as they do, in points more or less essential, show that 
the experimental data are as yet insufficient to establish its 
structure. In this connection the ethers of uric acid seem to 
have attracted little attention. In 1864, Drygin* prepar 
the diethyl and triethyl ethers by the action of ethyl iodide 
upor diplumbiec urate. I have been unable to obtain the orig- 
inal paper, but from the summary of it given in the Jahres- 
bericht+ for that year, and in Gmelin’st Hand-book, it would 
appear that he submitted them to no very extended examina- 
tion. I have, therefore, undertaken the study of the ethers of 
une acid, with the hope that a careful study of the products 
of their decomposition may throw additional light upon the 
structure of uric acid. 
A. few preliminary experiments convinced me that the com- 
pounds in the methyl series could be much more conveniently 
made than those of the ethyl or benzyl. 1 therefore began 
with the methyl ethers, and this paper gives the results I have 
obtained in the study of the first of these. 
Methyluric acid, C,H,(CH;)N Ve 
Methyluric acid may readily be prepared by the action of 
methyl iodide upon monoplumbic urate. The metathesis takes 
ag slowly at 110°-130°, rapidly between 160° and 165°. 
he dry lead salt mixed with methyl iodide in molecular pro- 
portions, enough ether being added to keep the mixture fluid, 
i i at 165°. After the 
evaporation of the ether, the product of the reaction is boiled 
ria the plumbic sulphide filtered off boiling hot. The as 
ese 
e, the solution boiled for 
Mon ether. Although no ammonium compoun 
It entered into 
ture did not in- 
* Russ. Zeitschr. Pharm. 
+ Jahresbericht, 1864, 629. 
¢ Gmelin, Suppl., ii, 1026. 
