DR. A. MATTHIESSEN ON THE CHEMICAL CONSTITUTION OF NARCOTINE. 663 
in which one atom of hydrogen is replaced by one of methyl ; and in the J ournal of the 
Chemical Society we suggest that the rational formulae of narcotine may be written thus: 
Narcotine. 
CH 3 lj^ Meconine. 
(C u H 9 0 2 )"'{ (C 8 H 4 0r) 0 
(C 8 H 4 oW U (CH 3 ) 2 i 3 
H(CH 3 ) 2 }0 3 
Meconine being the dimethylized compound of the normal meconine, (C 8 H 4 O)) 
H 2 j 3 
If the foregoing assumption as to the rational formula of narco tine is correct, that of 
the base now under consideration will be 
H In 
(C„H 9 0 2 )'"j 
(C 8 H ( Of 
H 3 }°* 
2. On the Action of Hydrochloric Acid on Narcotine. 
When narcotine is heated with hydrochloric acid for about two hours, chloride of 
methyl is evolved, and on examining the residue it will be found to contain the chloride 
of a new base. 
The best method of its preparation is as follows : — -Narco tine (say 100 grms.) is placed 
in a large flask with a quantity of strong hydrochloric acid (500 cub. centims.) with a 
little paraffin, and heated on a water-bath for the space of three to four hours ; much 
chloride of methyl is given off, and there remains behind in the retort the chloride of a 
new base. The reaction which takes place is simply that one atom of methyl in the nar- 
cotine is replaced by one of hydrogen, thus : 
C 22 H 23 N0 7 + HC1 = C 21 H 21 N0 7 + CH 3 Cl. 
To obtain the base from the chloride, the following process was adopted : as soon 
as the contents of the flask are cold they are neutralized by carbonate of sodium ; this 
salt is then added in excess, which dissolves any methyl-nornarcotine, or nornarcotine 
which may have been formed during the reaction, and leaves the new base and any 
undecomposed narcotine. This may be separated by caustic potash, in which the new 
base is readily soluble, narcotine being insoluble in that reagent. The potash solution 
is acidulated with hydrochloric acid, and the base precipitated fractionally by carbonate 
of sodium. 
The solution in which the base is suspended may be heated to 50° C. (but not higher, 
otherwise the base is apt to get sticky), when it filters readily. 
The separation from narcotine may also be accomplished by alcohol, in which the 
new base is’ easily soluble. On analyzing the base the following results were obtained. 
It was dried in a Leibig’s tube, first at 50° C., and then at 100° C. 
4 t 2 
