Am.  Jour.  Phar.ii.") 
March,  1901.  j 
Chemistry  of  Ipecacuanha. 
i*3 
method  suggested  by  Sakurai,1  of  weighing  the  solvent  after  noting 
the  rise  in  temperature  and  ascertaining  the  amount  of  alkaloid  dis- 
solved in  the  ascertained  quantity  of  the  solvent. 
The  results  obtained  by  Beckmann's  method  were  as  follows : 
Molecular  Weight. 
T?  tn    f  i  n  f* 
JZ, LLL\Z  till  c . 
Ether  as  solvent. 
Molecular  weight 
(i)  249      319      283  294 
286 
(2)  240      334  285 
286 
Ethylic  alcohol  as  solvent. 
353    (i)38r      519  477 
432 
(2)  484      527  547 
519 
(3)  473      439  652 
521 
Chloroform  as  solvent. 
(1)  402 
402 
(2)  469 
469 
Cephaeline. 
Ethylic  alcohol  as  solvent. 
533  593 
563 
The  figures  I,  2,  3  denote  that  there  was  a  first,  second  and  third 
addition  of  the  alkaloid  to  the  same  solution.  With  the  exception 
of  ether,  the  solvents  employed  have,  as  already  noted,  a  great  color- 
changing  action  on  the  alkaloids.  The  simple  expression  of  our 
analytical  data  gives  the  empirical  formula  for  emetine  as  C15H22N02 
=  248,  and  for  cephaeline  C14H20NO2  ==  234,  in  which  case  the 
figures  have  a  monobasic  value.  The  determination  of  the  weight  of 
the  molecule  as  shown  by  the  rise  in  boiling  point  when  employing 
ethylic  alcohol  and  chloroform  as  solvents,  while  not  entirely  satis- 
factory from  the  possibility  of  decomposition  of  the  alkaloids  having 
to  some  extent  taken  place,  nevertheless  points  to  the  molecular 
formulae  and  weights  being  for  emetine  CgoH^NX^  =  496,  and  for 
cephaeline  C28H40N2O4  =  468.  On  this  point,  however,  further  in- 
formation no  doubt  will  be  forthcoming  from  such  results  as  may  be 
obtained  by  a  splitting  up  of  the  molecule. 
It  is  satisfactory  to  be  able  to  chronicle  the  fact  that  the  results 
as  above  obtained  in  the  investigation  of  the  ipecacuanha  alkaloids 
have  been  practically  confirmed  by  so  eminent  an  authority  on  al- 
kaloids as  Dr.  Hesse,  who  kindly  gave  us  the  benefit  of  his  valuable 
1Jour.  Chem.  Soc,  LXI,  989. 
