SO 
ACTION OP ACIDS UPON AMYGDALINE. 
water. A quantity of crystallized chloride of ammonium 
was obtained from the mass which had been exhausted 
with ether. 
In the hope of producing directly from amygdaline the 
ether of formobenzoilic acid, which is still unknown, 
muriatic acid gas was passed into a mixture of alcohol and 
amygdaline. In proportion as the mass became saturated 
with it and heated, the amygdaline gradually dissolved to 
a clear solution, and nothing separated on cooling. The 
gum products were not formed in this case, and the liquid 
acquired but a very faint brownish tint. After some days 
a powder separated, which proved to be chloride of am- 
monium, more of which separated on the addition of ether. 
On the addition of a large quantity of ether, an aqueous 
acid liquid separated, which contained the chloride of 
ammonium, but no sugar. After it had been repeatedly 
shaken with ether, the ethereal solution was removed, and 
the ether distilled off. It left a brown syrup, which on 
mixture with water sank as a heavy liquid to the bottom. 
I have not examined this substance more minutely, but it 
may be considered with great probability to be the ether of 
amygdalic acid, produced by the sugar or gum in the 
amygdaline not being converted into humine, but entering 
into combination with the generated formobenzoilic acid ; 
for the composition of amygdalic acid, HO-j- C 40 H 26 O 24 , is 
such that it may be looked upon as a combination of — 
I equiv. oil of bitter almonds C 14 H 6 O 2 
1 equiv. formic acid O H O 3 
2 equivs. sugar C 24 H 20 Oo 
Amygdalic ether is undoubtedly colourless in the un- 
altered state. Obtained in the above manner, it is light 
brown, heavier than water, not miscible with it, but solu- 
ble in it to a considerable extent, especially on the applica- 
tion of heat, when however it is decomposed. It has a 
bitter, somewhat astringent taste, and is but slightly or not 
at all volatile. — Chem. Gaz.from Liebig's Annahn. 
