On Compounds Isomciic with the Cyanuric Ethers, 493 



June 16, 1870. 



General Sir EDWARD SABINE, K.C.B., President, in the Chair. 



Dr. E. H. Greenhow, Dr. J. Jago, Prof. N. S. Maskelyne, the Rev. Dr. 

 Parkinson, Capt. R. M. Parsons, Dr. W. H. Ransom, Mr. R. H. Scott, Dr. 

 A. Voelcker, and Dr. S. Wilks were admitted into the Society. 



The following communications were read : — 



I. " On Compounds Isomeric with the Cyanuric Ethers." By A. 

 • W. Hofmann and Otto Olshausen. Received April 29, 1870. 



Some time ago M. Cloez* described a remarkable body, which has the 

 composition but none of the properties of ethylic cyanurate. This sub- 

 stance, which he called cyanetholine, is distinguished from cyanuric ether 

 by its behaviour with alkalies, which, according to the observations of 

 Cloez, evolve from it ammonia and not ethylamine. Cyanetholine, accord- 

 ing to Cloez, combines with acids, forming crystallizable salts, none of 

 which, however, up to the present time, has been more carefully investi- 

 gated. It is rather strange how little the attention of chemists has been 

 directed to this interesting compound. M. Cloez contented himself with 

 the discovery of cyanetholine and establishing its composition, but has not 

 again reverted to the subject. Of the researches of other chemists who 

 have touched upon cyanetholine, the only ones known to us are the few 

 but rather important experiments of M. Galf. According to his obser- 

 vations, cyanetholine is changed by treatment with potash solution into 

 potassium cyanide and alcohol, and by the action of hydrochloric acid into 

 cyanuric acid and ethylic chloride ; and Gal and Cloez, in consequence of 

 these reactions, are of opinion that cyanetholine is the true ether of cya- 

 nuric acid constructed upon the water type — 



i}0 CN }o C 2 H 5}o c CNJ 0) 



whilst the earlier known ethylic cyanate of M. Wiirtz corresponds to the 

 ammonia type — 



IY CC S>> 



It need scarcely be mentioned how completely this view has been con- 

 firmed by the subsequent discovery of the isonitriles and of the series of 

 mustard oils isomeric with the sulphocyanic ethers. 



The formation of cyanetholine, which, as is known, is obtained by the 

 action of chloride of cyanogen on sodium ethylate, proves a close connexion 



* Compt. Rend, xliv. p. 482, and Ann. Chem. Pharm. cii. p. 354. 

 f Compt. Rend. lxi. p. 527, and Ann. Chem. Pharm. cxxxvii. p. 127. 

 VOL. XVIII. 2 P 



