238  Ecgonine.  {AmMay'i^arm* 
appears  to  be  identical  with  the  aconine  of  Wright  and  Luff.  The 
same  substance  is  formed  together  with  a  resinous  substance  when 
aconitine  is  heated  with  an  alkali.  Neither  aconine  nor  its  salts 
could  be  crystallized.  The  amorphous  base,  after  purification,  and 
its  amorphous  aurochloride,  afforded  analytical  data  agreeing 
respectively  with  the  formulas  C26H41NOn  and  C26H41NOnHAuClr 
A  further  study  is  being  made  of  aconine  and  of  the  question  as 
to  the  existence  of  other  alkaloids  in  the  root  of  Aconitum  NappelLus. 
x#  ECGONINE.1 
By  U.  Mussi. 
The  author  has  already  (ISOrosi,  [i  I],  270-277)  recommended 
that,  since  the  direct  detection  of  cocaine  is  difficult,  the  products  of 
its  decomposition  should  be  sought  for  in  toxicological  investiga- 
tions. With  this  object,  he  has  examined  the  behavior  of 
ecgonine  with  various  reagents.  Acccording  to  Einhorn  this  alka- 
loid is  metliyltetraliydropyridyl-fi-hydroxypropionic  acid, 
C5NH7Me-CH(OH)CH2-COOH, 
and  reacts  both  as  a  base  and  an  acid ;  it  crystallizes  in  colorless, 
lustrous,  monoclinic  prisms  with  1  mol.  H20,  which  is  lost  at  120- 
1300.  It  is  very  readily  soluble  in  water,  less  easily  in  absolute 
alcohol,  insoluble  in  ether,  chloroform,  and  carbon  bisulphide.  Its 
solutions  are  neutral,  and  have  a  somewhat  bitter  taste.  It  melts 
at  1980  with  partial  decomposition.  With  phosphomolybdic  Jci'd, 
it  forms  a  yellow  precipitate;  with  somewhat  concentrated  gold 
chloride  solution,  a  yellow,  amorphous  precipitate;  with  platinic 
chloride  in  dilute  alcoholic  solution  a  red-brown,  crystalline  precipi- 
tate, (C9H15N03)2,H2PtQ6,  which  is  readily  soluble  in  water,  and 
loses  hydrogen  chloride  when  heated,  forming  the  salt  (C9H15N03)2 
PtCl4.  With  stannic  chloride,  mercuric  chloride,  tannin,  and  picric 
acid,  it  forms  no  precipitates  which  distinguish  it  from  cocaine. 
Especially  is  the  reaction  with  Wenzell's  reagent  (200  parts  of  sul- 
phuric acid  and  1  part  of  potassium  permanganate)  delicate,  a  clear 
wine-red  coloration  being  formed  which  disappears  only  after  some 
time. 
In  an  experiment  with  a  rabbit,  1-26  grams  of  ecgonine  per  kilo, 
1  Chem.  Centr.,  1890,  ii,  516—517;  from  V  Orosi,  13,  152 — 158;  reprinted 
from  Jour.  Chem.  Soc,  1891,  p.  333. 
