364 CHEMISTRY OF THE LEUCOMAINS. 



aqueous solution of methyl adenin gives reactions with picric acid, 

 silver nitrate, ammoniacal silver solution, mercuric chlorid, copper 

 sulphate, and sodium bisulphite. The precipitate by the latter rea- 

 gent is more soluble than that of adenin. Lead acetate and basic 

 lead acetate give no precipitate. Like adenin, it forms a mono-brom 

 derivative (Kriiger). The methyl compound of Thoiss gave reac- 

 tions with baryta water, alcoholic zinc chlorid, mercuric nitrate, and 

 cadmium chlorid, while basic lead acetate was without effect. 



On decomposition with concentrated hydrochloric acid at 180°— 

 200° it yields ammonia, methylamin (distinction from adenin), car- 

 bonic acid, formic acid, and glycocoU, according to the equation : 



C,H,(CH3)N, + 8Hp = 3NH3 + CH3NH, -f- CO, + 

 2H.CO.OH + NH2.CH,.COOH. 



Mono-methyl adenin methyl iodid, 0511^(0113)^5. CH3I, is ob- 

 tained by the action of methyl iodid on adenin-lead. It crystallizes 

 from alcohol in coarse, glassy small crystals which are easily soluble 

 in alcohol and in water; insoluble in ether. Simple substitution 

 products do not form readily, but rather addition products. 



The 7-methyl adenin was prepared synthetically by Fischer. It 

 melts at 351° (corr.) and sublimes at a higher temperature. It is 

 soluble in 29 parts of boiling water and separates out on cooling as 

 a granular powder, only occasionally bent needles being present. It 

 is difficultly soluble in alcohol and forms salts with acids and metals 

 like its isomer. 



Both methyl adenins can be readily changed into the correspond- 

 ing methyl hypoxanthins. 



Ethyl adenin, C5H^(02H5)N5 , was prepared by Kriiger according 

 to the principle employed for the preparation of the methyl deriva- 

 tive. It is easily soluble in water and alcohol, and its aqueous solu- 

 tion gives reactions with silver nitrate, ammoniacal silver nitrate, 

 mercuric chlorid, copper sulphate, and sodium bisulphite, picric acid, 

 platinum chlorid, gold chlorid. The sulphate crystallizes from con- 

 centrated solutions in roundish masses of crystals. 



Iso-amyl adenin, 05H^(05Hj,)N5 , was also obtained by Kriiger by 

 heating adenin with alcohol, sodium hydrate, and iso-amyl iodid. It 

 is easily soluble in alcohol, acetone, chloroform, hot benzol ; diffi- 

 cultly soluble in ether and carbon disulphid. The solubility in 

 water at ordinary temperature is 1 :1430, and is not increased by 

 sodium or ammonium hydrate. It is easily soluble in acids. It 

 forms large bright irregular plates which melt at 148°-150°. A 

 0.7 per cent, aqueous solution reacts with silver nitrate, ammoniacal 

 silver solution, mercuric chlorid, picric acid, and gold chlorid. 

 Platinum chlorid does not give a precipitate. 



The 9-phenyl adenin has been synthesized by Fourneau (1901) 

 from the corresponding uric acid. 



