44 
Alkaloid  of  Java  Coca-leaves. 
( Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
X       Jan.,  1392. 
is  very  sparingly  soluble  in  alcohol,  and  insoluble  in  ether  and  ben- 
zene;  when  treated  with  freshly-precipitated  silver  chloride,  it  is 
converted  into  the  corresponding  in etho chloride,  C2.2H25N203Me, 
MeCl  -j-  2H20,  which  crystallizes  in  long,  colorless  needles. 
Isomethylstrychnine>  G,2H26N203  -f  7H2Of  is  formed  when  an 
aqueous  solution  of  isostrychnic  acid  and  methiodide  is  treated  with 
silver  oxide,  first  at  the  ordinary  temperature  and  then  at  100°  ;  it 
crystallizes  from  hot  water  in  small,  colorless  needles,  and  is  very 
readily  soluble  in  alcohol  and  hot  water,  but  insoluble  in  ether  and 
benzene;  it  yields  a  crystalline  nitrosamine,  and  it  gives  the  same 
reaction  with  dilute  sulphuric  acid  and  potassium  dichromate  as 
methylstrychnine,even  after  having  been  boiled  with  dilute  acids. 
/sodimelkyls^ryckmnefC2BH2SN203  -j-  3 H20,  prepared  from  methyl- 
isostrychnic  acid  methiodide  in  like  manner,  or  from  the  methyl- 
hydroxide  of  methyl  methylisostrychnate,  as  previously  described 
in  the  case  of  dimethylstrychnine,  separates  from  hot  water  in  well- 
defined  crystals,  and  is  readily  soluble  in  alcohol,  but  insoluble  in 
ether  ;  it  gives  the  same  reactions  with  oxidizing  agents  and  with 
nitrous  acid  as  dimetnylstrychnine. 
The  author's  experiments  have  shown  that  the  so-called  hydrates 
of  strychnine  are  isomeric  imido-acids,  that  strychnine  is  an  inner 
anhydride  of  strychnic  acid,  and  that  methyl  and  dimethylstrychnine 
are  betaine-like  derivatives  of  this  acid  ;  the  nitrogen  atom  in  the 
— CO— Nz  group  in  strychnine  is  in  direct  combination  with  one 
benzene  nucleus. 
BENZ0YLP5EUD0TR0PEINE,  AN  ALKALOID  OF  JAVA 
COCA-LEAVES.1 
By  C.  Liebermann. 
The  alkaloid  was  obtained  in  the  form  of  its  hydrobromide  from 
Dr.  Giesel,  and  was  purified  by  extraction  with  ether  and  crystalliza- 
tion from  boiling  water. 
Benzoylpseudoiropeine  hydrobromide,  C8HuNOBz,HBr,  crystallizes 
in  beautiful,  long  leaflets,  and  is  soluble  in  water  and  alcohol. 
B  cnzoylpseudotropeine ,  CsHl4NOBz,  is  obtained  by  decomposing 
the  above  salt  with  sodium  carbonate  and  extracting  with  ether. 
On  evaporating  off  the  ether,  it  is  obtained  as  an  oil  which  solidifies 
1  Berichte,  24,  2336-2345  ;  Jour.  Chem.  Soc,  1891,  p.  1263. 
