M. C. Lea on Methylamine. 367 
nia, methylamine, dimethylamine and trimethylamine, and it 
remains to separate these bases. This is a matter of extraordi- 
nary difficulty, much surpassing that of the separation of the 
ethyl bases. In the ethyl series the bases differ from each other 
and from ammonia by ©,H,, whereas in the methyl series the 
successive terms acquire the addition of C,H, only. Naturally 
therefore we must look for greater similarity in character and 
corresponding difficulty in separation. Accordingly, the methods 
| which give such satisfactory results with the ethyl-ammonias, 
, fail entirely with the methyl bases. Ammonia cannot be separa- 
) ted from them by a difference in the solubility of the sulphates 
| alcohol: when the mixed solution is neutralized with sulphu- 
tie acid and exhausted with alcohol, little or nothing is removed 
y it. Nor can the separation be effected by means of picric 
acid, although that substance may be used in one particular 
fase mentioned below. : 
] This problem I have as yet been able to resolve only in part. 
| Two steps I have accomplished :—first, the complete removal of 
the ammonia from the mixed methyl bases, and second, the iso- 
lation of the methylamine in a state of purity. The separation 
_ Of the more substituted bases still remains to be accomplished. 
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liquid and separates on further evaporation. 
After eas has crystallized, the resulting pearly white 
