332 C. G. Williams on Organic Substances. 
The artificial formation of succinic acid, starting with acety- 
lene, having been proved, it is only necessary to start with — 
that acid to prove the synthesis of tartaric acid from acetylene— 
C,H,O, + 2Br, = C,H,Br,O, + 2HBr 
Succinic acid. Dibromosuccinic acid. 
C,H,Ag,Br,0, + 2(H,0) = C,H,O, + 2(AgBr) 
oe 
Argentic dibromosuccinate. Tartarie acid. 
The speaker then proceeded to show how the synthesis of the 
organic alkaloids could be effected from inorganic materials. 
In the first place the fact that cyanids can be produced b 
heating carbon in presence of nitrogen and an alkali, is W 
own. The next step is to procure prussic acid by distilling 
cyanids with acids. From pure prussic acid, methylamine, the 
simplest of the primary monamines, can easily be obtainel, 
either by the aid of nascent hydrogen, or free hydrogen m the 
presence of spongy platinum. 
CHN + 2H, = CH,N 
—_—— —_—o 
Prussic acid. Methylamine. 
above, the first by Mendius, the second by Debus. 
It is also evident that as alcohol can be obtained from acely- 
lene, that all the ethylic, primary, secondary, and tertiary The 
amines of Hofmann can no - (2) 
steps being, (1) conversion of acetylene into olefiant g8) Bi 
eat, can be made to yield a number of the homologues of +. 
ant gas. The latter by treatment with excessively SiO 
driodic acid, become converted into the iodids of the 
radicals (Berthelot). By following up this last reactio a 
pentylene, heptylene, octylene, and nonylene, the spe@’ a and 
ceeded in obtaining pentylamine, heptylamine, octylamine, © 
nonylamine. was 
The direct ascent from acetylene to the coal tar colors 
then shown according to the following equations:— 
3(C,H,) = C,H, 
Acetylene. Benzol. 
C,H, + HNO, = C,H,NO, + H.9 
—_—— Saf 
taf 
Benzol. Nitrobenzol. 
