Amides of Meconic and Comenic Acids. 221 



find that under these circumstances, it is readily altered, and 

 the first change seems to be the increased solubility of the acid. 

 In four or five hours, at 300° Fahr., a great deal of. the acid 

 goes up in the water, which acquires a high colour, and, if 

 then allowed to cool, deposits a granular matter. If the heat 

 be continued, the contents of the vessel become in a few days 

 a shining black solid, and complete decomposition seems to 

 have taken place, for carbonic acid is produced in abundance. 

 I have not been able to prosecute these experiments, which, 

 with modifications, might lead to interesting results. 



Action of Hydrochloric acid gas upon Comenamic Acid in Alcohol. 



Hydrochlorate of Comenamic Ether (Gomenamethane). — 

 When comenamic acid (HO, C 12 H 4 N0 7 ) is suspended in absolute 

 alcohol, or very strong spirit, through which dry hydrochloric 

 acid gas is passed, the greater part of the solid dissolves, and 

 remains in solution when the liquid has been cold for some 

 time. The clear fluid leaves, on evaporation to dryness at 212°, 

 an oily mass which dries up, by constant stirring at this heat, 

 to a white or gray solid. If water be poured upon this residue 

 after it has been heated for some hours, it dissolves a certain 

 quantity with the production of a very acid liquid, while a 

 considerable quantity of pure comenamic acid remains behind ; 

 the solution contains much hydrochloric acid, and if suffered 

 to stand, deposits more comenamic acid as a crystalline powder, 

 and, under some circumstances, long needles. If alcohol be 

 employed instead of water, and it be added as soon as the mass 

 is quite dry and has cooled, the whole dissolves readily, and 

 by very cautious proceedings, a curious compound may be ob- 

 tained, which is definite, though instable, and proves to be a 

 combination, in fixed proportions, of comenamic ether and 

 hydrochloric acid. The material used in the following analyses 

 was procured by allowing an alcoholic or ethereal solution of 

 the fresh residue above described to evaporate spontaneously ; 

 it was dried for analysis in vacuo, with oil of vitriol and solid 

 potass in the receiver. The chlorine was determined by direct 

 precipitation with nitrate of silver. 



NEW SEKIES. VOL. T. NO. II.— APRIL 1855. Q 



