SOME OF THE PROPERTIES OF CYMIDINE. 
17 
Properties of Cymidine. — ^The specific gravity of cymidine is less than that of water. 
Its boiling-point is about 250° Cent. ; it has a yellow colour ; it is odorous ; it does 
not affect test-paper. It is slightly soluble in water, and completely soluble in alcohol 
and ether. The quantity of this alkaloid available for experiment was too small to 
admit of its being entirely purified by distillation. It was therefore necessary to have 
recourse to the analysis of its platinum-salt for ascertaining its composition. 
Platinum-salt of Cymidine. — When bichloride of platinum is added to an aqueous 
solution of the hydrochlorate of cymidine, a characteristic yellow salt is obtained, 
whieh, like cymidine itself, is slightly soluble in water, more soluble in alcohol, and 
most of all in ether. 
I. "4598 grm. of this substance, burnt with chromate of lead and oxide of copper, 
’5695 grm. of Carbonic acid. 
*1935 grm. of Water. 
•1270 grm. of Platinum. 
This, calculated for 100 parts, gives 33*777 Carbon. 
4*675 Hydrogen. 
27*620 Platinum. 
II. *4213 grm. of the same substance, ignited, gave *1178 grm. of platinum, which, 
calculated for 100 parts, gives 27*699. 
These numbers lead to the formula C 20 H 
HCl,PtCl2, 
as may be seen from the 
following comparison of the theoretical and experimental numbers : — 
Theory. 
A 
Experiment. 
f 
Per cent. 
Per cent. 
20 equivs. Carbon . . 
120 
33784 
33*777 
16 equivs. Hydrogen 
16 
4*505 
4*675 
1 equiv. Nitrogen . . 
14 
3*941 
3 equivs. Chlorine . 
1 equiv. Platinum . . 
106*5 
98*7 
29*983 
27*787 
f mean of the two 
27*641 
L experiments. 
1 equiv. Platinum-salt 
355*2 
100*000 
Hydrochlorate of Cymidine. — When strong hydrochloric acid is added to cymidine, 
fumes are evolved, the hydrochlorate of cymidine, in the form of an oily layer, rises 
to the surface of the fluid, and crystallizes on being agitated and evaporated. Like 
the salts of aniline, it stains firwood yellow, but, unlike these salts, it produces no 
reaction with the chloride of lime ; it also stains the skin red. 
A determination of hydrochloric acid in the hydrochlorate of cymidine was made. 
Weight of hydrochlorate taken . . . *412 grm. 
Weight of chloride of silver .... *319 grm. 
From whence the per-centage number 19*679 hydrochloric acid is obtained. This 
MDCCt’LVI. 
D 
