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was decomposed with evolution of chloride or iodide of methyl, and a new 
crystalline acid, having the formula C 9 H 8 0 5 , was produced. This acid has 
been named metliyl-normal opianic acid, on the supposition that it is a me- 
thylized derivative of a hitherto unknown normal opianic acid, while the 
ordinary acid is a dimethylized derivative of the same compound. Thus, we 
have— 
Dimethyl-normal opianic acid . . . C 10 H 10 O 5 
(Ordinary opianic acid) 
Methyl-normal opianic acid . . . . C 9 H 8 0 5 
Normal opianic acid.C 8 H 6 0 5 . 
By mixing ordinary opianic acid with a large access of potash-ley, and evapo¬ 
rating the liquid nearly to dryness, meconin and hemipinic acid were pro¬ 
duced. This decomposition, in effect, is simply a rearrangement of the con¬ 
stituents of opianic acid, and may be thus represented :— 
2C 10 H 10 O 5 = C 10 H 10 O 4 -f C 10 H 10 O 6 . 
Opianic Acid. Meconin. Hemipinic Acid. 
There is reason, however, for supposing that water takes part in the transfor¬ 
mation, and that one of the primary products is a hypothetical hydrate of 
meconin, C 10 H 12 O 3 , which, by the subsequent loss of the elements of water, 
is converted into meconin. The transformation of opianic acid into meconin 
was also effected by the deoxidizing action of nascent hydrogen. 
Having thus ascertained that the simple relation subsisting between the 
formulae of opianic acid, meconin, and hemipinic acid indicated the intimate 
chemical connection of the bodies themselves, the chemists endeavoured to 
arrive at a knowledge of the constitution of opianic acid by experimenting on 
the other two members of the group. They found that when meconin was 
subjected to the action of hydrochloric or hydriodic acid in sealed tubes it 
was resolved into chloride or iodide of methyl, and a new compound having 
the formula C 9 H 8 0 4 . To this compound they have given the name methyl- 
normal meconin, on the supposition that it is derived from a hypothetical 
normal meconin, C 8 H 6 0 4 , by the substitution of methyl, CH 3 , for hydrogen. 
According to this view, ordinary meconin is a dimethylized derivative of the 
normal compound. Thus, we have— 
Dimethyl-normal meconin .... C 10 H 10 O 4 
(Ordinary meconin) 
Methyl-normal meconin.C 9 H 8 0 4 
Normal meconin.C 8 H 6 0 4 . 
On boiling hemipinic acid with concentrated hydriodic acid the former was 
decomposed into carbonic anhydride, iodide of methyl, and a new crystalline 
acid having the formula C 7 H 6 (3 4 . This acid has been provisionally named hypo- 
gallic acid, in order to recall the fact that it contains one atom of oxygen less 
than gallic acid. The following equation represents the reaction by fl which 
this compound is produced;— 
C 10 H 10 O 6 + 2HI = C 7 H 6 0 4 +2CH 3 I + C0 2 . 
Hemipinic Acid. Hypogallic Acid. 
Prom the fact that two atoms of methyl derived from the hemipinic acid 
appeared in combination with iodine, the investigators inferred that ordinary 
hemipinic acid resembled ordinary opianic acid, or ordinary meconin, in being 
a dimethylized derivative of a normal compound hitherto unknown. On sub¬ 
stituting strong hydrochloric acid for the hydriodic acid, only one atom of 
methyl from the hemipinic acid combined with chlorine; and in place of 
hypogallic acid a methyl-hypogallic acid was obtained. The reaction may be 
thus expressed :— 
