38 ACTION OF HALOGEN COMPOUNDS OF ETHYL AND AMYL 



carbonate in its reactions, and when saturated with dilute nitric acid, becomes 

 filled, almost before the cessation of effervescence, with the characteristic crystals 

 of the nitrate of ethylostrychnine ; when evaporated to dryness, however, either 

 in vacuo or at 212° Fahr., it is found to have undergone a singular decomposition. 

 The residue obtained in both cases is crystalline, and in part colourless, with claret- 

 coloured spots pervading its mass; on adding water to this, the great bulk dis- 

 solves to a deep claret-coloured fluid, which contains carbonic acid and ethylo- 

 strychnine, while an amorphous substance, in whitish flocks, remains in appre- 

 ciable quantity. 



It is obvious that, with the observation of this decomposition, all hope of ana- 

 lysing the expected residue of pure monocarbonate of ethylostrychnine was at an 

 end ; nevertheless, as I was curious to know the actual amount of carbonic acid 

 retained, a certain weight of the residue, obtained by evaporation in vacuo, was 

 treated with cold water, and to the filtered solution was added a mixture of chlo- 

 ride of barium and caustic ammonia, which had been suffered to remain in con- 

 tact for some time ; the precipitate produced would contain all the carbonic acid, 

 and when collected and washed with the proper precautions, it was ignited ; the 

 resulting percentage, calculated on the amount of residue employed, was almost 

 that of the bicarbonate to be described immediately. 



The flocky matter remaining undissolved by the water appears to be a new 

 base ; it does not effervesce with acids, but dissolves tranquilly and completely, 

 and is again thrown down by ammonia in white flocks ; with nitric acid, it yields 

 no crystalline salt, as ethylostrychnine does ; it dissolves with the greatest ease 

 in spirits of wine, but is not to be obtained from this menstruum in a crystalline 

 state ; the solution, which is, or soon becomes, of a fine pink colour, deposits no 

 crystals on standing for weeks even, but red transparent drops appear at the sides 

 and bottom of the vessel, and an amorphous residue remains on evaporating the 

 fluid to dryness; these characters evidently separate the product widely from 

 strychnine and ethylostrychnine, and must cause it to be considered a peculiar 

 base. It would be an interesting decomposition to follow out, but I had far too 

 little substance at my command to do more than observe the above facts at the 

 time, and the consumption of material necessary for its investigation is an obstacle 

 to the research. 



Bicarbonate of Ethylostrychnine. — The preceding experiment having shewn the 

 tendency of the base to accumulate carbonic acid, I proceeded to seek a higher car- 

 bonate, by passing a stream of the washed acid gas into the solution, obtained by 

 the double decomposition just mentioned. During this process, a very slight turbi- 

 dity ensued, and after the gas had passed through the fluid a considerable time, 

 this was filtered and obtained perfectly colourless ; it proved to admit of evapo- 

 ration to dryness, in vacuo or at 212°, with similar results as to the properties 

 and composition of the residue. In the former case, a white crystalline mass. 



