MOLECULAR CONSTITUTION OP THE VOLATILE ORGANIC BASES. 
129 
will be found. The boiling-point of the compound (7^°) is very much in favour of 
butylarnine*. 
In a similar manner a great number of bases identical in composition with triethyl- 
amine will soon be found ; capronamine, methylamylamine, ethylobutylamine, dipro- 
pylamine, and a number of others. 
In concluding this paper, which, from the great number of experimental details 
which I had to bring forward, has been swelled almost beyond legitimate dimensions, 
I cannot but allude to the aid which the study of the natural alkaloids may possibly 
derive from a prosecution of these researches. I am, as I have said, far from believing 
that the constitution of substances, like quinine and morphine, is as simple as that 
of the bases described in the preceding memoir ; we know that the typical system 
X 
Y 
Z 
'N, 
may in a variety of ways assimilate several other groups of elements without forfeit- 
ing its original character. Cyaniline, raelanilinc'l' and dicyanomelaniline, and their 
* A perfectly similar remark applies to a compound lately discovered by Rochleder among the products of 
decomposition of caffeine (Ann. Chem. und Pharm. Ixxi. 7), and described by him under the name of formyline. 
The formula 
C, H, N, 
which Rochleder gives for this compound, is, after we have become acquainted with the mode in which the 
methyl- and ethyl-bases are produced, very improbable. There appears to me a choice only between the formulae 
C, H,N={ ”’jj}Nand 
The former of these formulae is improbable, on account of the great discrepancy both in the hydrogen and pla- 
tinum observed and calculated ; and it may be mentioned here that the existence of a series of bases of the 
formula 
C„ N. 
t. e. bases containing formyl, acetyl, propionyl (metacetyl), butyryl, &c., appears to be still doubtful on ac- 
count of the electro-negative character of these radicals. By the action of bromide of acetyl, C 4 H 3 Br, upon 
ammonia, I have not as yet been able to obtain an alkaloid. The formula 
C 3 H, N, 
which is that of methylamine, discovered by M. Wurtz, has analogy in its favour. The slight deficiency 
in the hydrogen can, it would appear, be scarcely adduced in opposition to the formulse. The three formulae 
are represented by the following numbers, which I place in juxtaposition with the mean of the analytical 
results. 
C 2 Hg N. Cj H 4 N. Cg Hj N. Mean of analysis. 
Carbon 5T0 5-09 5-06 4-.S6 
Hydrogen 1'70 2T2 2'53 2'45 
Platinum 42*52 41-77 41-60 41-39 
t It seems that the homologues of aniline yield derivatives with the same facility as aniline itself : Mr. Wil- 
son is at present engaged in studying the action of chloride of cyanogen upon toluidine ; he has obtained a 
beautiful alkaloid represented by the formula Cjq H,, Ng, which corresponds to melaniline. 
MDCCCL. 
S 
