BETAIN. 305 



Thus, it is present in cotton -seed (Boehm, Ritthausen and Weger, 

 Maxwell), where it is about five times as abundant as cholin ; in beet- 

 root juice (Beta vulgaris), and hence in beet-root molasses (Scheibler, 

 1866). It occurs also in cattle-turnip and Lycium barbarum (Huse- 

 mann and Marm6, Schiitte, Siebert), and is found with cholin and 

 another base in vetch-seeds ; in peas a base similar to betain exists 

 (Schulze). With cholin it occurs in the roots and leaves of Scopolia 

 atropoides (Siebert). It occurs in the leaves of the potato plant, So- 

 lanum tuberosum, but not with cholin (Schiitte) ; in worm-seed (Arte- 

 misia Cina) in about 0.5 per cent.; with cholin about 0.1 per cent. 

 (Jahns). The two bases are also present in the sprouts of wheat and 

 malt, betain more abundantly (Schulze and Frankfurt). It does not 

 exist in these substances as such, but is formed from a more complex 

 substance by the action of hydrochloric acid or baryta (Liebreich). 

 In this respect it resembles cholin, neurin and probably muscarin. 

 Quite recently, Lippmann (1887) has obtained a lecithin-like body 

 from sugar-beet, which, on heating with baryta, gave oleic acid, gly- 

 cerin, and phosphoric acid (glycerin-phosphoric acid), and betain. 

 Betain, however, does not seem to be a constant constituent, inasmuch 

 as on one occasion he obtained chiefly cholin, and little or no betain. 

 These two bases also occur together in cotton-seed, and this fact has 

 led Scheibler to the conclusion that it is no mere chance. Lecithin, as 

 is well known, may contain variable acid constituents (oleic, stearic, 

 palmitic, etc.), and reasoning on this fact, and on the results of his 

 own experiments, Lippmann was led to suppose that it may also 

 contain different bases in variable proportions. 



Betain was first discovered by Husemann and Marme in 1863 and 

 1864 and named lydn. Scheibler found it in 1866 in beets and 

 gave it the present name. The identity of the two compounds was 

 shown in 1875 by Husemann. 



A methyl betain, trigonellin, exists in trigonella (Jahns, Hantzch). 



It has been obtained from human urine (Liebreich, 1869), and 

 from poisonous and non-poisonous mussel, but not from putrid 

 mussel (Brieger, 1885, III., 76). Emmerling (1896) obtained 

 it with trimethylamin by decomposing gluten with proteus vul- 

 garis. The method for its separation from mussel is described on 

 page 313. 



Betain may be obtained synthetically in several ways : (1) By 

 oxidation of cholin with potassium permanganate ; (2) by heating 

 sarkosin (methyl glycocoU) with methyl iodid and methyl alcohol, or 

 with methyl iodid alone, when betain-methyl ether also forms (Paul- 

 mann) ; (3) by the action of silver oxid on betain aldehyde ; (4) by 

 the action of methyl iodid on glycocoU (Kraut) ; (5) by treating 

 monochloracetic acid with trimethylamin. The last two methods 

 are of value as indicating the constitution of betain, and the changes 

 which take place can be represented by the equations : 

 20 



