672 
DE. A. MATTHIESSEN AND ME. C. E. A. WEIGHT ON THE 
2. Monomethyl-nornarcotine . — Just as dimethyl-nornarcotine might be narcotine, 
where H replaces CH 3 either in the meconine radical or in the cotarnine radical, so 
monomethyl-narcotine may be narcotine, where H 2 replaces (CH 3 ) 2 in the meconic 
radical, or where H replaces CH 3 in the cotarnine radical as well as in the meconin 
radical. 
Hence either of the two following reactions with heated water might be anticipated — 
Monomethyl-nornarcotine. Normeconin. Cotarnine. 
C 19 H 16 (CH 3 ) N0 7 = C 8 H 6 0 4 + C n H 10 (CH 3 ) N0 3 , 
or 
Hethyl-normeconin. Cotamimide. 
C ]9 H 16 (CH 3 ) N0 7 = Cg H 5 (CH 3 ) 0 4 + C n H n no 3 . 
On trying the experiment it was found impossible to obtain anything but tarry masses : 
the fact that methyl-normeconin was not obtained would tend to show that the former 
reaction takes place, the normeconin immediately becoming decomposed ; the cotarnine, 
however, could not be got sufficiently free from tar for analysis. 
Similarly, with oxidizing agents either of the following reactions appears probable : — 
or 
Monomethyl-nornarcotine. Noropianic acid. Cotarnine. 
C 19 H,g (CH 3 ) NO; + O — C 8 H 6 0 5 + C u H 1(1 (C H 3 ) N0 3 , 
Methyl-noropianic acid. Cotarnimide. 
C I9 H 16 (CH 3 ) NO, + O = C 8 H 5 (CH 3 ) 0 5 + C n H„ N0 3 . 
The non-oxidizing agents, and ferric chloride, only gave rise to the formation of 
tarry masses ; but on boiling platinic chloride with hydrochlorate of monomethyl-nor- 
narcotine, and extracting the liquor with ether, there was obtained a body which it 
was found impossible to obtain in a state of sufficient purity for analysis owing to its 
instability ; it had an acid reaction, was very soluble in water, ether, and alcohol, but 
could be obtainable only as a tarry granular mass from any of these solvents ; it gave only 
a very slight purplish coloration with ferric salts. Since its reactions, therefore, did not 
all correspond with those of methyl-noropianic acid, it appears probable that it was the 
noropianic acid formed according to the first of these two equations. 
These results point to the constitution of methyl-nornarcotine as being narcotine, where 
H 2 replace (CH 3 ) 2 in the meconin radical ; or, as before, 
Narcotine. 
CH 3 j N 
(C u H 9 0 2 )"j 
(Cg H 4 OW U 
(CH 3 ) 2 H }0 3 
Methyl-nornarcotine. 
ch 3 , n 
(c„h 9 o 2 )»{ 
(C 8 H 4 0r 
h 3 }o. 
3. Nornarcotine . — From the observed reactions with the other bases, it appears pro- 
bable that the reactions taking place when nornarcotine is heated with water, or treated 
with oxidizing agents, are 
