138 
RESEARCHES ON NARCOTINE, ETC. 
a solution of this salt. The conversion is completely ef- 
fected on heating the dried saline mass cautiously and equally 
to somewhat above 212° as long as ammonia is given off. 
At last it is converted into a pale lemon-yellow powder, 
which is opiammon. In its perfectly pure state it is proba- 
bly colorless ; it appears crystalline under the microscope. 
It is entirely insoluble in water, but when heated with 
water, to 302°, it forms a clear solution, and on cooling opi- 
anic acid crystallizes from a solution of opianate of am- 
monia. Opiammon melts readily and creeps up the sides 
of the vessel, but is not volatile. It is not altered by dilute 
hot acids. 
From the results of analysis its composition may be ex- 
pressed by the empirical formula C 40 H 17 N O 16 . It origi- 
nates therefore by the separation of 4 atoms of water and 1 
equiv. of ammonia from 2 atoms of opianate of ammonia. 
4. Xanthopenic Acid. — -This is a nitrogenous acid, which 
is formed by the action of alkalies on opiammon ; it is cha- 
racterized by the yellow color of its salts. A solution of 
caustic potash does not at first act upon the opiammon, but 
it soon begins to dissolve, with a uranium-yellow color and 
with contemporaneous disengagement of ammonia. On 
boiling till this has ceased, a yellow solution is obtained of 
xanthopenate and opianate of potash. The xanthopenic 
acid is precipitated by muriatic acid in yellow flakes, and 
can be filtered before the opianic acid has time to crystallize 
from the hot liquid. In this reaction three-fourths of the 
nitrogen of the opiammon are expelled. Xanthopenic acid 
is a lemon-yellow crystalline powder ; it melts and dissolves 
in alkalies with a uranium-yellow color. Heated with soda- 
lime it disengages ammonia. Its composition has not yet 
been ascertained. 
5. Opianosulphurous Acid. — This compound is formed 
by the action of sulphurous acid on opianic acid; the latter 
is dissolved in large quantities by the hot aqueous solution 
of sulphurous acid, without separating or cooling. The so- 
