1870.] 



Isomeric with the Cyanuric Ethers. 



497 



action of ammonia. They have not yet been investigated, but it has been 

 ascertained that methyl alcohol is liberated, as might have been expected. 



Finally, as regards the formation of the amido-ether by the action of 

 chloride of cyanogen upon sodium methylate, this is obviously due to the 

 presence of traces of water, which could scarcely be avoided in this process. 

 Water causes first the formation of hydrochloric and cyanic acids, the 

 latter of which splits up into carbonic acid and ammonia ; ammonia and 

 methylic cyanurate coming together in the nascent state form methyl 

 alcohol and the amido-ether. 



In fact the common salt which separates during the reaction contains 

 a considerable quantity of cyanate and carbonate. 



Experiments in the Ethyl-series. 

 Our first experiments were conducted in this series, and we have ac- 

 tually worked more in it than in the methyl group. We have, however, 

 not yet been able to obtain the ethylic cyanurate in a pure state ; on the 

 other hand, we have succeeded in obtaining the ethers of both amidic 

 acids. 



The action of chloride of cyanogen upon sodium ethylate present the same 

 phenomena as the analogous treatment of the methylate, and which more- 

 over have been well described by M. Cloez. We have sometimes obtained at 

 once a solid body ; but generally there is formed an oil, which after some 

 time deposits crystals, the quantity of which in different operations varies 

 exceedingly. The idea naturally suggested itself that they were the trimole- 

 cular modification of cyanetholine ; but analysis showed that these crystals, 

 in spite of their beauty, were but a mixture containing the desired cyanu- 

 rate, when at all, only in small quantity. They contain, as numerous 

 analyses have proved, the ethylic ethers of the two amidic acids, the sepa- 

 ration of which has cost indeed very considerable trouble. 



Diethylic Amido -cyanurate. — By treatment with animal charcoal and 

 numerous recrystallizations of considerable quantities of the crystals ob- 

 tained from the crude cyanetholine, we succeeded in obtaining thin white 

 prismatic crystals melting at 97° ; this melting-point remained unchanged 

 after several recrystallizations from water, a sign of the purity of the 

 substance. The same body was obtained when crude cyanetholine was 

 heated for some hours with aqueous ammonia in a sealed tube. The 

 digestion, however, must not be carried too far, as then other products are 

 formed, amongst these an amorphous substance quite insoluble in water. 



The analysis of the crystals, which are soluble both in alcohol and ether, 

 especially when warm, has proved them to be the ethylic compound corre- 

 sponding to amido-ether of the methyl series, having the composition 



]C,H,0 



C T H u N 4 0, = C,N ,lc,H,0 

 J H 2 N 



The diethylic amido-cyanurate combines in two proportions with silver 



