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Dr. C. E. A. Wright's Contributions to the [Apr. 11, 



The following communications were read : — 

 I. c< Contributions to the History of the Opium Alkaloids." — 

 Part V. By C. E. A. Wright, D.Sc, Lecturer on Chemistry 

 in St. Mary's Hospital Medical School. Communicated by 

 Prof.'G. G. Stokes, Sec. E. S. Eeceived March 9, 1872. 



§ 1 . On the Polymerides of Codeia. 



In Part IV. of these researches reasons have been adduced for the fol- 

 lowing general conclusions, viz. that codeia and morphia are capable of 

 forming polymerides (with the elimination of methyl in the case of codeia in 

 some instances), which yield derivatives containing certainly not less than 

 C 68 , and probably not less than C 136 (C 72 and C 144 in the case of those codeia 

 derivatives where methyl has not been eliminated). Experiments now in 

 progress tend to show that the formulae of codeia and morphia are really 

 double of those formerly ascribed to these bases, i. e. are C 36 H 42 N 2 6 and 

 C 34 H 38 N 2 6 respectively, the proof of which is (as will be shown in a sub- 

 sequent communication) that the first products of the action of hydrochloric 

 acid on these bases appear to contain chlorine and carbon in the proportions 

 C 36 and CI, C 34 and CI respectively, instead of C 18 and CI, C 17 and CI. 

 It might be anticipated, therefore, that intermediate polymerides might be 

 formed containing respectively :— - 



Morphia series. Codeia series. 



Monomorphia . . C 34 H 38 N 2 6 C 36 H 42 N 2 6 . . Monocodeia. 



Dimorphia .... C 68 H 76 N 4 10 C 72 H 84 N 4 12 . . Dicodeia. 



Trimorphia. . . . C 102 H ]04 N 6 18 C 108 H 126 N 6 18 . . Tricodeia. 



Tetramorphia. . C 136 H 152 N 8 24 C 144 H 168 N 8 24 . . Tetracodeia. 



In the case of codeia these anticipations have been verified. 



In order to obtain these supposed polymerides before their further 

 alteration by secondary reactions, the action of acids other than the 

 hydracids was examined. Acetic acid seemed a probable agent for this 

 purpose ; but no appreciable quantity of any thing different from ordinary 

 codeia was obtained after sixty-four hours' digestion at 100° of one part of 

 this base with three parts of glacial acetic acid. On precipitation of the 

 product by Na 2 C0 3 in large excess, extraction with ether, and agitation 

 of the ethereal extract with H CI, a crystalline mass was obtained which 

 developed a smell of acetic acid on standing in contact with a slight excess 

 of H CI ; but on analysis this gave numbers agreeing with those required for 

 codeia hydrochlorate, and from it nothing different from codeia could be 

 obtained ; probably therefore only a trace of acetyl-codeia was formed. 



The action of phosphoric acid, however, was found to lead to the desired 

 result without the formation of bye-products beyond colouring-matters 

 formed by the high temperature employed ; by heating codeia with 3 parts 

 of glacial phosphoric acid and 5 of water for several hours at 100°, no per- 



