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XXVITI.—On a New Generali Method of Preparing the Primary Monamines, &c. 
By R. Mizner Morrison, D.Sc. 
(Read 17th June 1878.) 
Having occasion at one time to require a quantity of methylamine, I tried a 
number of the best methods given in text-books and books of reference, but 
the smallness of the yield and the great trouble involved in the processes drew my 
attention to the fact that there was room for a good method of preparing the 
primary monamines. Horman’s method, viz., heating the iodides of the alcoholic 
radicals with ammonia, is of little use, as the trouble of separating the diamines 
and triamines formed at the same time is so great as to make the process prac- 
tically useless if the primary monamines alone are required. 
Keeping this fact before me, I tried for some years, in the intervals of more 
systematic work, to find the solution of this problem, and I think I have now 
found a process which, at the same time simple and inexpensive, gives a large 
yield of the primary monamines. This result has not been arrived at without 
several failures, and as I think that even negative results are often useful, I 
shall briefly refer to them. In the first place, together with Professor E. A. 
Letts, I tried to obtain methylamine from oxamate of methyl. As oxamate of 
methyl has the following constitutional formula, viz.— 
CONH, 
COOCH, 
we expected that, if treated with lime, it would break up thus— 
CONH, coo 
se Ga Ss fi ea NOH NH, 
GOOCH, C00 
Oxalate of Calcium. Methylamine. 
ov rather the products of this reaction, conducted as it was at a high tempera- 
ture, namely, carbonate of calcium, carbonic oxide, and methylamine. The 
reaction, however, does not go in this way, but in another and very curious 
way, which we need not at present consider. 
Following out this idea, it struck me that if oxamide be treated with 
methylate of sodium, that methylamine would be the result. Thus— 
CONH, COONa ~ CH,NH, 
+ 2CH,ONa = | + : 
CONH COONa  CH,NH, 
VOL. XXVIII. PART II. 8s 
